What Witches Want
by EllaQueenB
Summary: Due to an unfortunate event, Remus is granted the ability to hear women's thoughts. Trouble, laughter and chaos ensue. Set OOTP. TONKS/LUPIN eventually.
1. PROLOGUE

**DISCLAIMER: ****- **Anything that you recognise is obviously not mine, seriously.

**A/N:**** - **Hey Guys – a new story just for a change.

I was watching "What Women Want" on TV the other day and I got a crazy idea for a story so I just ran with it and here we are. It will eventually be Remus/Tonks but this is sort of a prologue.

For all the readers of my other story, There's Something About Remus, this has nothing to do with it but I have decided to do a sequel for that story – since some people requested one.

ANYWAYZ – Enjoi

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**PROLOGUE**

"Be serious Padfoot, you can't do it!"

The once quiet kitchen of No 12 Grimmauld Place was suddenly filled with loud belligerent voices as the two permanent occupants of the dreary house filed down the basement stairs and took up residence at the long narrow table. One of the wizards, the more shabbier of the pair, pulled a chair out meticulously and took a seat, folding his arms across his chest as he sat, his eyebrows arching high on his forehead in a look of foreboding scepticism as if daring his friend to challenge his previous point.

The other held an air of arrogant class as he swaggered across the room to the head of the table, casually spinning the chair around before sitting on it backwards, his legs straddling the seat. His black hair hung shaggily around his face, messy and in need of a cut, and whilst he was dressed better than the first, he had a rather ragged appearance. A sallow look to his face made him appear drawn and ill and tapered down the rogue handsomeness it was clear he once possessed and a sad glint shone in his eyes even when he was smiling. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared across the table at his old friend, his face taking on a solemn look.

"In case you've forgotten in your old age Moony, I'll explain it to you – I. Am. Sirius," he punctuated each word with a small jab to his chest, "and I seriously can do it. Just look at this Remus and then tell me I'm wrong."

With that he opened his mouth until it was as large as he could make it without magical aid, his eyes squinting shut in the process. Moony looked at him across the table, shaking his head slightly and rolling his eyes at the 'child' before him before he let out a bored sigh. They had been debating this pointless issue for the past hour and it was starting to get tiring.

"Close your mouth Sirius."

He did as he was told and snapped his mouth shut before leaning forwards on his chair haughtily, a pretentious smile swept onto his face as though he'd just proved a valid point. He casually flicked his wand and the half-empty bottle of Firewhiskey that he'd been consuming in the drawing room suddenly appeared in front of him, another lazy swish and a summoned cup flew onto the table. As Sirius poured himself a drink, Remus had a vague feeling that he should just drop the issue now and let Sirius think that he'd won, he was a Black after all and thrived on getting the last word in. But there was still an hour left before people would begin to arrive for the Order meeting and Sirius got quite argumentative when he was sloshed, he had to make him see reason.

"I do not doubt that you have a big mouth Padfoot, it's been known to fit your foot on occasion after all," Sirius curled his lip and sneered mockingly across the table, "but I do take issue with the quantity you believe you can fit in it. Your mouth may be a disgusting cess pool but it is not a bottomless pit and 30 is a large number Sirius."

As he spoke, Remus unfolded his arms across his chest and rubbed the back of his neck before folding his hands on top of the table as he lent forward. Sirius stared at his friend beseechingly before revealing his powerful counter-argument.

"Trust me Moony," he attempted to put on a serious face but it just made him look creepy, "30 would fit in nicely."

Remus scoffed cynically as he watched his friend absurdly poke around his mouth with his tongue as if trying to count the invisible objects. When he finished he gave a sharp nod of his head before giving in to a sanctimonious grin.

"Sirius when you take into account the circumference of each one of them and then compare that to the volume of your mouth, I find it hard to believe that they would 'fit nicely'. In fact I have trouble believing that they would all fit it in at all."

Sirius looked crestfallen for a moment as he muddled his way through Remus' statement, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Don't try to throw in your big fancy professor words like circumference and volume to confuse me; I know what you're trying to say." He swished his arm lazily as he spoke, half the contents of his cup sloshing onto the table. "You don't think I can fit them all in but I know that I can do it."

"Know you can do what?"

The Weasley twins had just entered the basement-kitchen in search of a snack but instead took a seat at the table, opposite Remus, staring at the original duo with piqued interest. Remus let out an exasperated sigh before he reluctantly filled in the red-headed twosome figuring maybe a fresh perspective would make his friend see reason.

"Sirius here seems to believe that he can fit 30 Druballs in his mouth at the same time and I've been trying to convince him that it's virtually physically impossible."

"But Moony I know I can do it, I'll even prove it to you."

Sirius voice held a pleading tone and he looked at his friend determinedly but as Remus shook his head, an incredulous look once again finding its way onto his usually passive features, the twins eyes filled with an amused glint and identical gleeful smirks tugged at the corners of their lips.

"I think I feel a bet coming on Fred."

"I know exactly what you mean George, and we've got the perfect wager for you."

Both Remus and Sirius turned their full attention to the twins - who smiled at each other conspiringly before forcing their faces into a serious expression and facing the original marauders, speaking in the confusing run-on sentences they were famous for.

"As a completely objective third-party with absolutely no interest in the outcome of the event we'll be the judges, we'll count the druballs out," started Fred.

"And Sirius can try to fit all of them in his mouth. Then whoever loses," added George

"Has to try one of the sweets from our new range," concluded Fred.

They glanced at each other briefly before adding together,

"You up for it fellas?"

A grin broke out over Sirius' face as he nodded his head enthusiastically along with the boys.

"I'm game; I bet you I can do it Moony."

Whilst Sirius was one to gamble away on a whim and not think of the consequences, Remus was not as foolhardy. He stared at the twins discerningly as they smiled back at him, the innocent expressions on their faces barely hiding the mischievous twinkle in their eyes.

"Why should I wager that when I get absolutely nothing out of it when I'm proved right? You boys are the only ones who stand to gain something from this in that you get a free tester for whatever new creation you have thought up. Now if Sirius does by some miracle manage to fit them all in, I must say that personally that's not a very appealing option for me."

Remus shuddered visibly at the thought of becoming the Weasley's unwilling test subject and his face scrunched up in a horrified grimace as thoughts of what they could have invented flashed across his mind. It was Fred's well-timed cough that brought Remus out of his own thoughts to find the twins staring at him intently.

"We," George moved his finger to indicate his brother and himself, "are not the only ones who stand to benefit from this bet,"

"You," Fred pointed his finger across the table at Remus, "get to prove that you're right and end this stupid argument."

"Besides if you're so sure your right than you don't have to worry about what happens to the loser," started George.

"And you get to see Sirius suffer," Fred coughed audibly in cover, "I meant taste, our sweets."

The twins looked pleased at their convincing arguments and Remus could feel himself begin to cave in at the thought of proving Sirius wrong.

"See Moony, if you're so sure that it's 'physically impossible' than what are you worried about losing for, unless you're afraid I'll prove you wrong. Marauders would never back down from a bet, so are you a Marauder or are you a chicken?"

George started to make to make clucking sounds but stopped quickly when Fred whacked him in the chest and shot him a menacing look. He tried to pass it off as a cough and they both sat up straighter in their seats, apparently they wanted to appear mature, they must need a tester badly.

Remus knew something was off, they all seemed too eager for him to agree, but it was Sirius' final statement that pushed him over the edge. He knew he should just walk away but whether it was the sly look on Sirius' face or the desire to make him eat his words, Remus soon found himself agreeing to take part in this ridiculous wager.

"Fine, I bet you that you can't do it Sirius."

The twin's angelic faces immediately morphed into identical mischievous grins as they practically jumped out of their chairs and raced towards the cupboard where they knew Sirius kept his candy. Fred flicked his wand and levitated down a jumbo-size bag of Kellerman's Druballs before directing it into his twins waiting arms. George carried it over and hefted it down on to the tabletop, Fred almost immediately joining him as they counted out 30 of the coloured candies.

When they had counted out the full amount, they pushed the rather large pile of sweets along the surface towards the head of the table. Remus let out a small chuckle as he saw Sirius eyes widen in horror, he knew Sirius hadn't thought about this realistically.

"Now are you gentlemen going to live up to your word if you lose," George stared at them doubtfully before Fred joined in with a menacing look.

"Or are we going to have to have to use an Unbreakable Vow."

Remus paled a little under the disturbing gaze of the Weasley boys, whatever they were testing must be horrible if they were afraid the loser was going to back out, but the use of an Unbreakable Vow was inconceivable, surely they were joking. When Fred pulled out his wand and tapped it threateningly against his palm, Remus stammered a little as he tried to reassure them it wasn't necessary.

"No, no I don't believe that's necessary boys. You have my word, on my honour as a wizard, that I won't back out on the wager if I should lose."

"Yeah, mine too."

The twins seemed satisfied with their answers and Fred put his wand back in his pocket whilst George pointed towards the pile of sweets in front of Sirius.

"Well, have at it then."

The sombre tone that had crept into the room dissipated a little as Remus chuckled loudly whilst he watched Sirius stand up from his chair and proceed to lean over the sweets, viewing them from every angle. The twins watched dutifully as Sirius stood back from the table, rubbing his chin with his thumb and index finger trying to decide the best way to approach the challenge.

It was a full 2 minutes before Sirius reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wand before pointing it towards the druballs and reducing them to the size of pin heads.

Remus eyes widened in shock as Sirius summoned the now small pile to him before effortlessly placing all 30 of the Druball's in his waiting mouth, chomping a few times and swallowing them all in one foul gulp. He let out a triumphant laugh as he looked at his stunned best friend.

"Looks like I won the bet Moony, they all fit."

Remus stood up suddenly, his chair rocking back ominously due to the force of his movement. He sputtered in disbelief.

"But that's cheating, right?"

He shot a hopeful look at the twin's and was utterly gobsmacked to find them both shaking their heads in perfect synchronisation.

"Well you never explicitly stated that the use of magic was forbidden," started George.

"So technically it's not cheating."

Fred finished his twins thought before they shot a serious look at Remus.

"So you lose the bet."

As they joined together to give out their official ruling, Sirius let out a whoop of unadulterated joy and Remus couldn't believe what had happened. Sirius had won on a technicality – it wasn't possible. The twins would be cunning enough to spot a loop-hole like that, and maybe Sirius would've if he was sober, but surely he couldn't have when he was half-sloshed. Remus felt his face shift from a look of shocked disbelief to unyielding surprise as comprehension finally dawned on him. He narrowed his gaze at the rest of them.

"You all planned this, didn't you?"

The faces of all three troublemakers immediately turned momentarily guilty before Sirius let out a loud bark of laughter.

"I told you lot that he'd figure it out, I said Old Moony wasn't a fool." He let out another round of laughter before he continued. "You see the boys here needed a new test subject and I wasn't willing to do it myself but I figured that it'd be entertaining to watch you do it."

"So you came up with a plan to trick me."

All three of them nodded energetically, obviously impressed that their plan had worked. Remus lowered himself back down into his seat in stunned silence before rubbing his hands over his face and shaking his head in disbelief – he couldn't believe he'd been duped by the 3 fraudsters, he knew something wasn't right. How could he have been so stupid as to not stipulate the rules?

When he eventually removed his hands from his face, he looked up to find the twins and Sirius staring at him expectantly as Fred held out his hand to reveal and blue and red chequered candy. Remus started to shake his head in refusal but Sirius voice stopped him.

"Now Moony you agreed, on your honour as a wizard, that you would test their new range if you lost and you lost fair and square my friend."

Remus raised his eyebrows at him in question, his heading jutting to the side.

"Ok so it wasn't fair but it was within the rules, or lack of."

Remus grudgingly reached forward and removed the candy from Fred's outstretched hand. He twisted and turned the small cube in his hands, eyeing the small piece with honest apprehension, a large golden W glinted back at him from the center of the sweet. He couldn't believe that he was actually going to willingly consume a Weasley product.

"So what does it do exactly?"

He looked up from his hands to question the twins but just before either of them could open their mouths to respond, he had held up a hand to stop them.

"Actually don't tell me, I don't want to know."

He heard the twins let out stifled chuckles and he could feel Sirius watching him with great excitement as he brought the sweet to his lips. The phrase 'It's now or never' vaguely passed through his mind as he threw his head back and popped the lolly into his mouth, as if trying to swallow a pill.

As soon as the sweet touched his tongue it began to swell, getting bigger and bigger until the strength of it forced Remus' cheeks to puff out and he strained to keep his mouth closed. He felt as though his mouth was completely stuffed full of cotton candy, if he was honest with himself he would admit that the feeling wasn't entirely unpleasant. When there was no room left to fill, the candy seemed to disintegrate into nothingness and Remus opened his mouth suddenly, shaking his head to ward off the niggling sense of disorientation that was engulfing him. He was brought out of his stupor when the Twins excited voices filled the air and they both yelled out at the same time.

"Well, how do you feel?"

With a final stretch of his jaw, Remus looked towards the eager faces of his ex-pupils.

"Besides a little light-headedness I feel fine, I think."

They both eyed him curiously before looking at each other and nodding their heads in satisfaction.

"OK, so what am I thinking then?"

The brows on Remus' forehead furrowed in confusion as he wondered how best to answer Fred's question.

"That I'm completely daft for agreeing to this in the first place."

"Nah, that's not it."

The twins stared at each other quizzically before simultaneously standing up and leaning over the table to further examine him.

"So you can't tell what we're thinking at all?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

Sirius let out an agitated huff as he got up from the table and walked over to the kitchen cupboards, muttering something about this being a 'waste of time'. Meanwhile the twins pushed themselves back from the table and began pacing the kitchen floor. Fred scratched his head in confusion before reaching over and punching his twin in the arm.

"There was something wrong with your potion then, I thought it looked a bit odd."

George defiantly stared back at his brother before punching him back with equal strength.

"Nah, there was something wrong with your spell. _Eadray Omensway Indsm__a__y_, I knew it didn't sound like a real spell."

He pushed his twin once again for good measure before starting towards the stairs. Fred stared at his retreating twin for a moment before following him up the stairs. Remus heard a voice yell out 'It's Latin ya prat. ' before a loud crashing thud resounded through the house, Fred must have pushed back.

Remus stared at the closed kitchen door until the racket in the stairway ceased, he then shook his head sharply to try and get rid of the fogginess that was settling in his head before sticking a finger in his ear and wiggling it to try and get rid of the ringing.

A moment later Sirius came swaggering back to the table holding a full bottle of firewhiskey and another cup. He placed the cup on the table beside the other one before pouring generous amounts of the amber-liquid in each cup, a disappointed look crossing his face.

"Well that was a bit of a dud, wasn't it?"

He offered one of the cups to Remus who gladly accepted it before letting out a light breath of laughter.

"Yeah, luckily."

Remus almost choked as he took a sip of his drink only to have it burn a searing path down his throat. He coughed a little and Sirius let out a loud chuckle as he downed his whole drink in one gulp. Remus glared at him as he felt the dull ache in his head blare on further aided by the alcohol, he pushed his drink away as Sirius shot him a questioning glance.

"I've just got a head-ache from their invention, an after-effect I suppose."

Sirius gave curt nod at Remus' answer before refilling his glass and draining it again. He let a whoosh of air out through his clenched teeth as the alcohol cooled his throat.

"Imagine the after-effects if the damned thing had actually worked!"

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Ok so that's the first chapter done, hope you like it. Send me a review and let me know what you think, PLEASE.

Hate it/love it – either way hit the tiny little box in the bottom left-hand corner and let me know.

HUGZ N KISSES

EllaQueenB

( xtra hugz if you figure out the spell Fred used – it's easy as just think latin!)


	2. Candy and Regret

Heya Guys,

Finally finished this chapter and I've got to tell you, it took a while. I'm still not entirely happy with it but I figured it was about time I posted, so be warned – I may tweak it a little at a later date. This is sort of the necessary mid-chapter where Remus discovers what's happening, I had to write it before I could move on to the cute Tonks/Remus stuff which is coming soon.

Anywayz – I was kinda overwhelmed by all the reviews from last chapter, it was amazing actually and I hope this chappy receives the same support crosses fingers

So I want to thank all the people who took the time to read the last chapter and extra thanks goes to the people who left a review. So – **lady ****herenya****Uma****-Thurman, ****ctc****, ombrerose92, ****pinkmoonflower****, Flo M ****Nimo****, Bookish Brownie, ****EragonandArya****, Miss ****Wolfsbane****, kk11819, Copperboombaby8, ****vampiratelycan****, CrystalClearElphaba444, someone, Fe, Death's-Razor-Blade, ****ZemISHly****EmyTheGreat****heyyodude****TiredGreenEyes**** and Dark Duchess and Shadow Queen - **heres to ya.

* * *

**IMPORTANT**- **// blah blahblah//-** indicates a woman's thought (without the blah's of course)

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**Candy and Regret**

"... and we kept track of them for a bit but it turned out..."

The detail-filled Order reports somehow filtered into Remus' addled brain as he sat in a semi-detached state of consciousness at the kitchen table in the grimy basement of Grimmauld Place. All the information passed at these meetings was of the strictest importance and was crucial in the defence against You-Know-Who. He knew that it wouldn't pay to be uninformed but as hard as he tried he couldn't force himself to pay the required amount of attention. He was fast beginning to regret his prior choice to consume a Weasley product.

The headache from earlier was barrelling on, gaining in strength until it became almost too much to bear, the ringing resounding louder and louder in his ears until it was impossible to concentrate on anything else. He was definitely regretting being goaded into trying the twins sinister concoction. He gently raised his hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger in an attempt to encourage the blood flow and force some of the pain away.

When that didn't work he brushed his hands over his face, his fingers gently massaging his throbbing temples as the ache increased, barraging quickly over his incredibly high pain threshold. He let out a small strangled whimper when the noise levels in the room rose to an unbelievable stage, why was everybody shouting at the same time?

Suddenly everything just faded away leaving behind a sense of complete peace and calm, the room fell completely silent and the pain which had reached passing-out level dissipated into nothing. Nobody spoke to give a report, there was no idle chatter but he could hear the faint whispering of the women in the room.

**-//Good heavens, is he alright?//- **

**-//****Oh**** Merlin, he doesn't look so good. I wonder what's wrong//- **

**-//Forgive us if we're boring you Lupin!//- **

**-//I do hope he's not ill.//- **

**-//****It's**** not near the full moon, is it?//- **

It was the last comment, which sounded like it came from Hestia, that made him realise that they were all quietly discussing his well-being, most likely because he was sitting hunched over, his elbows up on the table and his head in his hands. He briskly rubbed his hands over his face to put some colour back in his cheeks before he brushed them through his rough brown locks, his hands finally coming to a rest at his sides after he slid his elbows off the table. He sat up a little straighter and looked up to find the entire Order staring at him with concern.

"I'm fine."

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he tried to convey his wellness and the entire Order shot him looks of unabashed scepticism. He removed his hand from his neck and balled it into a fist before placing it just in front of his mouth, clearing his throat in an anxious manner. If Dumbledore thought he was sick then he wouldn't allocate him missions, he had to convince them that he was well.

"Really I'm quite well."

He tried to make his voice sound reassuring but it came out gruff and husky instead. Dumbledore eyed him curiously over his half-moon spectacles so Remus cleared his throat and tried again.

"I'm not ill, really and I assure you that it's nothing to do with the full moon." He shot Hestia a reassuring smile even though it hurt him to realise that deep down people didn't really trust him, she looked away in shame. "I just tried a new potion earlier and it gave me a slight headache but it's clearing now."

Sirius let out a small chuckle in remembrance of the events that happened that afternoon and Remus shot him a pointed glare, shooting his eyebrows up in a way that conveyed the unspoken question – Do you want me to tell them what really happened? He stopped laughing immediately, a pathetic puppy-dog expression taking over his face. He reached for his glass and just before he took a gulp of the amber-liquid, Remus heard him mutter 'Your no fun anymore Moony' under his breath.

Remus shook his head slightly at the antics of his sulky, middle-aged best mate before turning his attention back to the Order. Dumbledore watched him inquisitively for a moment, his hand absentmindedly stroking his long snow-white beard, before nodding his head in understanding. He either believed Remus' story or knew that Remus didn't want to discuss it, either way he had soon directed everyone's attention back to the more important matters that plagued the Order.

Most of the Order shot Remus a final worrying look before becoming engrossed in the next report but the pretty witch with vivid pink hair, who sat directly across from Remus, kept her unwavering gaze on him, an uneasy look striking across her youthful heart-shaped face. It didn't take long for Remus to notice the lavished attention of Nymphadora Tonks and he shot her a brief smile of reassurance to try and ease the concern that was evident in her pretty brown eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him as he mouthed the words 'I'm fine' and her face contorted in a look of concentration as though she was judging his health for herself. Eventually the concern left her eyes and she shot him a sweet smile before turning away. It was the strangest thing but Remus could've sworn he heard her say 'OK' even though her lips didn't move.

Dismissing the notion as completely absurd, probably a hallucination brought on by a combination of lack of sleep, alcohol and the twins nasty surprise confectionary, he turned his attention back to the current speaker. He sent a silent plea of thanks to Merlin, for the fact that the headache had completely disappeared and he could now concentrate on Order issues, as he listened to the report given by Emmeline Vance, a dignified old witch with an emerald green shawl.

Remus felt his chair lurch forward as Sturgis Podmore raced past him and out of the kitchen, he was due to give his report on Knockturn Alley next but he'd left his findings in his coat pocket. When Emmeline had finished her elemental report the Order was granted a quick reprieve whilst waiting for Sturgis' return. It was during this brief intermission that Remus heard the chiding voice of Molly Weasley.

**-//Sirius – drinking yet again and now bringing poor Remus down as well.**** What kind of example is that going to set for young Harry when he gets here? As if the poor boy doesn't have enough to deal with.//- **

Remus' head snapped up from the table fast as he heard Molly's distasteful outburst. He turned to look at her, his eyebrows raised high on his forehead in a look of utter dismay, shocked that she would call attention to such a socially awkward subject in the middle of a crowded professional meeting. Molly Weasley was sitting near the head of the table next to her husband Arthur, her hands folded politely in her lap as she feigned interest in an exuberant conversation with Hestia. Yet even as she nodded along politely in response to Hestia mind-numbing words, her eyes had a reproachful look as she continued to shoot filthy looks of disapproval at the chair next to Remus, which was currently occupied by Sirius.

He didn't have to look at Sirius to know that his old friend was probably seething about Molly's latest remark. He always acted hostile when the Weasley matriarch called him on his drinking but Remus was expecting a colossal outburst this time given the fact that she brought both his oldest friend and his godson into the equation. He leant in closer to Sirius, desperately trying not to make his intentions obvious enough to attract attention, and when he spoke it flowed softly from the corner of his mouth.

"Just let it go, Padfoot."

Remus continued to stare blankly ahead as he spoke in hushed tones to Sirius, silently pleading for him to just head his words. Meanwhile Sirius' eyebrows were knitted together in the middle of his forehead, his face scrunched up in a look of mild confusion as he stared strangely at his old friend.

"Let what go? What you on about Moony?"

Remus let out a small sigh at his friends thickheadedness, trust him to want to play dumb tonight. He leant further back on his chair, still facing forward as though not talking to Sirius at all and when he spoke it was quieter still.

"Look, I know that Molly's on you again tonight about your drinking and yes, her comment was really unfair and uncalled for, I know that. But for just this once could you please just let it go and not make a scene."

The hustle and chatter around the table subsided when Sturgis re-entered the room and the meeting reconvened but Sirius' attention was solely on the man sitting next to him. His eyebrows grew even closer together as he trawled back over Molly's comments to him that evening and the concern became more evident in his black eyes when he didn't find one suitable to what Remus was saying.

"I don't know what you're talkin bout Moony. Molly hasn't said anything about my drinking all night."

Remus' head snapped around quickly to face his mate, the muscles in his neck screaming in protest at his sudden movement. Shock registered momentarily on his features when he saw his friend looking so serious and he was left with a strange feeling of incomprehension.

"You feeling alright mate?"

Sirius' words brought him out of his shocked stupor and Remus' eyes darkened slightly as he tried to comprehend his friend's words. Molly was sitting closer to Sirius than she was to Remus, so if he'd heard her callous words than surely Sirius had to.

"But I just heard her say..."

His sentence trailed off when he realised that Sirius had reached one of his hands across the pristine lily-white tablecloth, a look of disconcerting worry across his rugged features. He snaked a hand around Remus' drink, grasping it tightly before shooting him a look of incredulity as he shook his head slightly, Sturgis' report continuing unnoticed in the background.

"I'm cutting you off mate."

Muttering 'And they say I've got a drinking problem' under his breath, Sirius drew the crystal glass emblazoned with the Black family crest back towards him. Remus didn't have the sense to stop him from taking his drink, not the he wanted the damn Firewhiskey anyway, nor did he have the sense to ask him to elaborate. He was frozen in position, sitting there in stunned silence. He knew that he'd heard Molly make that comment, in fact he would have sworn upon it, but Sirius was adamant that she'd never said a thing. It didn't make any sense.

When he felt Dumbledore's alarming gaze on him again, he turned his attention back to the meeting at hand and feigned interest, dutifully hoping not to be called upon to discuss something. Bringing his hand up to his face, he lightly tapped his chin with his index finger in a thought provoking gesture. Something strange was happening and he was...

**-//Emmeline actually thinks that she has a chance with him, ha. Does she not realise the connection we share, the amount of time we spend alone together at Hogw****arts. If she wants a fight than, well, ****me-****ow****.//- **

Remus' head snapped around fast in another whiplash inducing move as heard the voice of Minerva McGonagall, his eyes expanding wide in disbelief. Expecting to see the older straight-laced woman flushed with embarrassment over her inappropriate outburst, he was shocked to see her sitting up pretentiously in her chair, her hands resting in her lap. More alarming than her absent embarrassment was the non-reaction of the Order, nobody had even seemed to notice her uncharacteristic proclamation. His eyebrows shot up high on his forehead, disappearing beneath his fringe as a small smirk appeared on his face but before he had time to decipher what was happening, he was interrupted again.

**-//Sturgy**** looks so good talking up there, so powerful. I can't wait to get him home and...//-**

Remus tore his astonished gaze away from his ex-professor and proceeded to look at the squat little witch in the seat beside her, a slight blush tinging his cheeks at her racy words. He stared mesmerised as he continued to hear Hestia's squeaky voice clearly even though her mouth didn't appear to be moving but it wasn't until she took a sip of wine from her goblet, her words continuing un-garbled, that Remus realised why no-one else was reacting to her heated words – no-one else could hear them. He felt like a total idiot and he let out a small groan of displeasure when he realised that he was hearing voices in his head. Time to call in the loony squad because after a lifetime of craziness, with a myriad of foolish friends, Remus Lupin was finally entering the realms of insanity.

He shook his head slightly in disbelief, this could not be happening to him and yet strangely it all made sense. It was plain and simple really and it explained so much – the unspoken words of concern, Molly's harsh critique of Sirius that didn't faze him, Minerva's catty remark and now Hestia's unbridled words of passion. He brought his hand up to his face and scrubbed it roughly over his forehead before rubbing his eyes then pinching the bridge of his nose, even though the headache was long gone. He was going crazy, an obvious side-effect from the twins botched spell work, his brain was playing tricks on him, making up fanatical thoughts and he was hearing them in other people's voices.

He let out a sigh as he blew a long breath out through his closed teeth, the reality of the situation dawning suddenly on his outlandish situation. How could he have been so stupid as to be coerced into trying an untested product, a Weasley one at that? He knew that he had to speak to the twins to work out a solution to his current predicament but he was stuck in this meeting for a while yet, not that he was concentrating much with other people's voices racing through his head.

**-//****How**** long can this report go on for?//- **

**-//I wonder if Dumbledore will stay for a while after the meeting?//- **

**-//I hope the children aren't listening at the door again. Really they're too young to be involved in this.//- **

**-//****Sturgy's**** voice is so deep when he talks at meetings, it's nice//- **

He was slowly getting another headache again as the voices in his head ran together so much that he could hardly decipher each individual one. He was contemplating excusing himself from the meeting early so he could scare the twins into fixing him but he stopped when he heard the sweet voice of Nymphadora Tonks.

**-//****Could this meeting go on any longer? This is worse than ****auror**** meetings when they bring in Mad-Eye to reinforce constant-vigilance. At least it has a good view though, he does look awfully scrumptious tonight.//- **

He would never understand why at that particular moment he felt his heart give a strange lurch as he watched Tonks stare keenly at Kingsley, her imagined voice resounding in his head painfully. He tried to block out her heavenly voice as his imagination continued to rattle on without his control.

**-//He's so smart and really good at spells and stuff, I bet he could give Dumbledore a run for his money and...//- **

"Tonks, how was duty last night?"

The disillusioned musings stopped suddenly as she replied thoughtlessly to Moody's gruff enquiry.

"I didn't do it."

Alastor Moody looked completely outraged as his 'mad-eye' roved over his protégée imploringly, several of the older Order members, even the voices in Remus' head, tutted under their breaths about 'irresponsible young people being the reason the Order failed last time'. Remus felt outraged on Tonks behalf at the close-mindedness of some of their colleagues, meanwhile Tonks appeared flustered for a moment as a slight blush spread across her cheeks, her eyes widening in horror as she realised what she'd said.

"No, no – of course I did my duty; I wouldn't shirk my responsibilities like that. All I meant was that nothing happened of any interest."

Tonks finished lamely but it was enough to appease the astringent group, the voice in Remus' head however felt that the story wasn't yet finished.

**-//****Except**** covertly hexing my cheating ex w****hen I saw him out with his 'new ****girlfriend'//- **

Remus smiled a little at the amusing running commentary racing through his head but he could've sworn he saw Tonks' face drop a little as he heard the words 'new girlfriend'. But that was impossible, he was just hallucinating. In front of him Tonks nervously changed her hair colour from the bubblegum pink that he was fond of, to an awful shade of green before settling on a dark blue, something she did when she was uncomfortable.

**-//****Nice**** going Tonks, way to look competent in front of the Order. You'll be sure to get all the good missions now.//- **

Remus let out a short bark of laughter at the thoughts in his head and Tonks turned quickly to look at him appraisingly, he had to get rid of this annoying 'voices' thing soon before people thought he was a complete head case. Thankfully though, Tonks abrupt report of her mission had concluded the meeting. Dumbledore ended things by giving everyone their missions for the week and as Remus expected he didn't get anything serious, just a guard watch with Tonks tomorrow evening. He smiled slightly when Sirius sulkily huffed about not getting any assignments again but his heart went out to the cute witch across from him as a frown crossed her delicate features, her lips pouting to complete the dejected look.

**-//See, they still don't take me seriously here even though I'm an Auror. All they see is a girl with daft hair who's as clumsy as hell, it's just like work. On the bright side at least I get guard watch with Remus.//- **

It was when he heard this comment that he knew he had to reverse this stupid spell quickly, his brain was starting to give him hope. Like Tonks would want him, a middle-aged werewolf, when she could have any guy she wanted, she was practically a fantasy come to life, not that she had to change, she was gorgeous as herself. Oh god, he really needed to fix this so as soon as Dumbledore officially ended the meeting Remus practically jumped out of his seat and ran out of the basement kitchen in a desperate search for the twins.

**-//****Strange**** man//- **

**-//Well that certainly is peculiar//- **

**-//Odd sort of fellow that one//- **

**-//I knew he wasn't ok, I hope he can still do guard duty tomorrow night//- **

**-//Maybe it's a werewolf thing//- **

Thankfully the voices in his head faded slightly as he ascended up the stairs from the basement kitchen. When he reached the ground floor he rushed along to the entryway, honestly a little surprised that he had found the children closer to the action, they'd taken to snooping outside the meeting hoping for little scraps of information. After discovering that they weren't lurking in the corridors on the first floor, and figuring that they wouldn't be in the library, he continued on up more stairs to check their room.

Remus sighed dejectedly as he knocked on the Twin's door to no avail; they were obviously somewhere else in this musty old house. His face screwed up as he tried to puzzle out where exactly the boys could be and he was so lost in thought that he almost didn't realise that he'd run into one of them on the stairs on his way back down. He relaxed slightly as he stared at the red-headed boy before him but he tensed again quickly, which one was he?

George had a longer fringe and Fred had a wispy little curl at the side, that couldn't be right. No, no George had a dark little freckle just near his left ear, or was it Fred with the freckle near his right. He was never going to work it out, they looked too much alike, so he squinted his eye's imploringly when he realised he just have to hazard a guess.

"Fred?"

"George"

George looked at him with quiet disdain in his eyes as he answered him in a bored tone, it must be hard to always be confused for your twin. Remus cursed inwardly as he revealed his identity, Fred had been the one to find the spell so theoretically he would be the one to talk to about countering it. It couldn't hurt to ask where he was though.

"Where's Fred?"

George's features were soon consumed by a deep frown as he shook his head slightly, his lips pursing in impudent contempt.

"We're not conjoined twins you know, despite popular belief."

He scoffed slightly as he spat out the statement in utter resentment and Remus immediately felt a little guilty. He hadn't meant to offend the boy he just assumed that they would be together since they always were; he hadn't seemed to be bothered by it before. George must have felt a little bad for snapping at Remus because his stony features relaxed slightly when he noticed Remus' apologetic look.

"If you must know then he's up with Buckbeak, having an instant-owl conversation with Angelina since Mum's too busy downstairs to notice."

Remus face fell slightly when he heard of the other twin's whereabouts, chatting to a girl now that could take a while, so if he wanted this thing resolved right away than he would have to question George about the spell.

"Well, uh, perhaps you can help me then. You see I seem to be feeling a little, erm, well ill and I was wondering if perchance it was a side-effect of your 'confectionary'."

He used air-quotes to highlight the word confectionary and George stared at him curiously, stroking his bare chin in the same manner Dumbledore used to stroke his beard.

"Nah, I don't think it could be the sweet causing it and I'm not just saying that to save us either. I brewed the potion myself and there was nothing in there that would cause illness, I got the recipe from a Honeyduke's candy and I've seen you eat them before without consequence. We used some minor spells to change the appearance of the candy but they wouldn't cause it either and you don't have to worry about the spell cause I'm pretty sure that Fred just made it up because he was too busy chatting with girls when he should have been researching it."

When George had finished rattling off the reasons why it couldn't be their fault, he gently pushed past him and continued up the stairs, leaving a stumped Remus in his path. If it wasn't the candy causing it then he really was going insane. When George was a few steps above him, he turned slightly and casually spoke over his shoulder.

"If it helps the spell was 'Eadray Omensway Indsmay'. Fred reckons its Latin but I don't reckon you've got anything to worry about. If you're feeling sick then you should see my Mum about it, she's always been good at fixing them things."

With that he turned and continued his way up the stairs, disappearing into the darkness when he reached the landing, leaving behind a confused Remus to contemplate the spell, Latin being the only thing he had to go on. Remus turned and continued descending the stairs towards the first floor library in the hopes that he would find something useful there, the spell repeating over and over in his head. As he neared the first floor landing he searchingly trawled through all the Latin phrases he knew but the spell didn't seem to fit the language at all.

"Eadray Omensway Indsmay. Eadray Omensway Indsmay. Eadray Omensway Indsmay."

He repeated the spell under his breath in a sort of mantra as he made his way down the first floor corridors towards the musty old library. He tried adding emphasis to different syllables in a vain attempt to better understand it but he ended up giving a loud frustrated sigh every time it failed to shed new light on his trying situation, although thankfully the voices had quieted for the moment. He was almost at the library when he was interrupted rudely from his musings by a sarcastic snort and a squeaky voice speaking in a language he didn't understand.

"Oodgay ucklay!"

He looked up abruptly when he heard the girly adolescent tone of the youngest Weasley and was a little surprised to see Ginny Weasley walking out of the library and withdrawing further down the hall. It took him a moment to connect the similarities between her statement and the outlandish spell but when he did he quickly started after her retreating form. When he'd finally caught up to her he reached a gentle hand towards her shoulder to stop her.

"Pardon?"

**-//Uh-oh, busted//- **

The annoying voices started back in Remus' head as Ginny quickly spun around to face him, a small blush tinging her freckle-ridden high bone cheeks.

"Sorry Professor, I didn't mean to interrupt you."

Remus stared curiously at his ex-pupil as she cast her gaze shiftily around the corridor, apparently still nervous about being called out by an authority figure, not that he technically was anymore.

"Ginny I haven't been a Professor for over a year so I think it's time for you to start calling me Remus. And you didn't interrupt me, I was only wondering what language you were just speaking?"

**-//No way I'm going to call you that, it's just too weird. You'll always be Professor to me.//- **

"If it's all the same, I think I'd just rather call you Professor and I was speaking Pig Latin, same as you right?"

Remus stared at her quizzically for a moment.

"I have no idea what that is, I simply, erm, read the phrase in a book and I didn't know what it was." He scratched the back of his neck as his brows furrowed in confusion. "I had no idea that muggle pigs spoke Latin, it's quite ingenious really."

Ginny let out a loud jolt of laughter at her former Professor's ludicrous comment but she sobered immediately when she saw him watching her curiously with his head cocked slightly to the side, no laughter present on his features.

**-//****Oh**** he was serious, oops.//- **

"They don't, it's not a pig language Professor, it's just muggle pop culture. Some girls from the village near where I live taught it to me last summer when I came home from Hogwarts."

Remus continued to look at her with a confused expression on his stoic face so she continued on.

**-//Ok he doesn't get it.//- **

"It's really quite easy once you get the hang of it. All you do is when you're talking you just don't say the first letter of a word, instead you put it at the end of the word and add an 'ay' sound. So instead of Ginny, my name would be Innygay," she gestured to the grim framed photograph hanging on the even grimmer wall, "and this would be an Icturepay."

**-//****Geddit?//****- **

Remus looked blankly ahead and his forehead un-creased slowly as comprehension dawned upon him and he realized the covert teenage language. He repeated the spell once more.

"Eadray Omensway Indsmay," he paused for a moment whilst he deciphered the spell and when he finally worked it out his eyes widened in shock as he let out a small gasp, "Read Women's Minds!"

**-//DUH!!!//****- **

A cheeky grin engulfed Ginny's face, a mischievous twinkle glinting in her eye, as she brushed past him.

"Like I said Professor, good luck!"

With that final parting comment she pranced off down the hall, becoming the second Weasley of the night to leave Remus shocked and confused.

He steadily leant back against the wall as his mind went into overdrive. Fred hadn't made up the spell, he'd actually found it but he obviously didn't realise what it did and the backwards spell had essentially worked after all, it just had a delayed effect. The voices in his head weren't a side-effect of the spell, they were the point of it but they weren't just voices, he was reading other peoples thoughts, women's more specifically.

He took a deep breath, in and out, as the reality of the situation finally sunk in.

His conservative ex-Professor, Minerva McGonagall, was fighting with Emmeline Vance over Dumbledore, Hestia and Sturgis had something going on and with a visible gulp he realised the most startling revelation of all – Tonks liked someone in the Order. He figured that it was probably Kingsley since that was who she was looking at when she was talking, no thinking about it but before he could question things further, he was startled when he heard someone calling his name.

"Remus, there you are."

* * *

Okay I know it was kinda long and for that I'm sorry but it just sorta flowed out and I didn't have the heart to cut any of it. And just to explain some OOC's – it's people's thoughts and most people are usually a lot more adventurous in their thoughts than in what they would say out loud (BTW- I've always seen McGonagall as having a little minx inside) and I'm ignoring the whole 'Dumbledore's gay' thing because I needed someone older for them to fight over.

And I know that George was OOC in that he wasn't his usual jokey self but I'm guessing that since he ends up marrying Angelina than of course he's going to be a little peeved by the fact that he's brothers crackin on to her.

**Hate it/Love it – leave a review and let me know, I'll luv you forever if you do. Oh and**** if you don't want me to reply to your review that's OK, just put a (NR) at the end of it so I know. **

HUGZ N KISSES  
EllaQueenB


	3. Maybe It's Not So Bad

**A/N:** - Okay let me just say **SORRY** for not updating sooner, especially to my reviewers whom I told I would update by the end of last week. I really wasn't expecting this chapter to be this long and I really wasn't expecting it to be so hard to write (sorry if it seems forced at times). Whenever I'd sit down to write it I'd get struck with idea's for other stories – which is how I ended up with my story **'15 Things****' **(If you haven't read it, go check it out and leave a review PLEASE – I'll give you hugz.)

Anywayz – I edited this chapter like 3 times but my stoopid computer refused to save the changed document so your getting the uncut version – hope you like it.

As always thanks to the people who took the time to read my little story and big HUGZ N KISSES to those of you who made me dance happily when I read your reviews. SO – **TiredGreenEyes****ZemISHly****, Bookish Brownie, Death's-Razor-Blade, ombrerose92, lady ****herenya****, Flo M ****Nimo****, m, pet-****munchkin****Uma****-Thurman, kk11819, ****vampiratelycan****, Copperboombaby8, katyscarlett76, Dark Duchess and Shadow Queen, ****MissyL****, Cinderella912, PhoenixDreamer55, ivonne910 and ****pinkmoonflower**** – **here's to ya.

* * *

**Maybe It's Not So Bad**

"Remus – there you are!"

Those four words made Remus stop stock still, his body leaning rigidly against the hallway wall, his enquiring thoughts into the identity of Tonks' crush grinding to a startling halt. It wasn't the words per say that made him freeze, a cute 'dear-in-the-headlights' expression taking over his face, it was the realization that the melodious sound came from the very person he'd just been thinking about, the same person whose private thoughts he'd heard early and had since attempted to exploit to discover a personal secret. He pushed gently off the wall and spun around to face the sound of the voice, a blush creeping up his neck as he noticed Nymphadora Tonks stalking towards him down the hall, an extremely satisfied smirk lighting up her pretty heart-shaped face.

**-// Finally, only walked the whole bloody house looking for him.//-**

As Tonks drew closer towards him, her spiky pink locks swaying ominously as she moved, Remus found himself desperately darting his gaze around the confined hallway, pleadingly searching for some way to escape. He really didn't want to hear anymore of her thoughts, he'd already heard too many things tonight as it was, and the only way avoid inadvertently discovering secrets was to avoid women at all costs until he could fix his 'little-problem'.

**-//Gods he looks pretty nervous, he's up to something. Either that or he's taking Mad-Eye's constant vigilance way too far.//-**

He stopped fidgeting immediately, figuring he must look like a complete tool standing there looking shiftily around. He really was turning into a head case. When he looked up he saw her staring at him with a strange curious look on her face, her eyebrow arched high on her forehead in a way that made her look adorable. Deciding that there was no feasible way out of this because she'd already seen him, he plastered a warm smile on his face that didn't quite meet his eyes and he stood up straighter to meet her. He figured that if he got through this quickly than he could retire to his room to figure out a way to reverse the spell without gaining to much irreversible knowledge. But just as he made eye-contact with her, her toe caught on the grotesque crimson hall-runner and she was sent tumbling towards him, her eyes widening in horror as she desperately tried to find her balance, but it was too late, she crashed into him and they both went tumbling towards the ground.

**-// OOF - And the award for most graceful goes to...//-**

He quelled the urge to laugh at her inner monologue as he lie flat on his back on the cold wooden floor with Tonks' sprawled on top of him, not that he minded having a pretty young witch lying on top of him, in fact maybe he liked it a little too much. Desperate to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation, he rolled to his side, dumping Tonks unceremoniously on the floor beside him in the process. He noticed a heated blush creeping up her slender, creamy neck and when she shifted her head to meet his gaze, an apologetic look settled on her young features, her bottom lip jutting irresistibly out in a sexy pout.

**-// Oh sweet Merlin, why do I always have to act like a total spaz in front of him. He's going to think I'm gagging for it or something, I always seem to end up on my knee's when he's around. //-**

Remus let out a small snort of laughter as he heard her silent thoughts, thankful that inner-Tonks had the same sense of humour as outer-Tonks, the same one he'd come to whole-heartedly enjoy. He soon regretted laughing however when Tonks apologetic look turned a little dourer, tears slowly beginning to pool in her eyes as she scrambled back further away from him, her blush turning a deeper red.

**-// Great now he's laughing at me! Why does this always happen around him?//-**

Remus felt like a real prat as humiliation took its unnatural place in her eyes, she'd never seemed perturbed about her clumsiness before. He had to make her understand that he wasn't laughing at her, well he was laughing at what she thought but she didn't know that he knew what she thought, so she just thought he was laughing at her. Gods this reading mind thing was beginning to be a pain in the ass. He struggled to sit up, resting on his elbows as she leant casually back against the hallway wall, hugging her knees to her chest. She scoffed slightly.

"Guess I won't be winning any Grace awards this year."

She tried to laugh it off as a joke as she put on a brave smile but Remus saw the pain of embarrassment flash across her eyes as her pink spikes appeared to droop a little. He gave a cheeky smirk at her attempted joke, his fringe falling gently in his eyes as he pushed up from his elbows and struggled into a sitting position on the floor, her smile faltered.

"Sorry bout –," she gestured to his form, sitting half-sprawled on the ground as she gave a guilty grimace of sorrow. Remus put up a hand to silence her.

"Nonsense, I've grown accustomed to our unusual greetings. It just wouldn't be the same if we didn't end up tangled on the ground when we saw each other."

Her face quickly changed into a bright smile and her rosy cheeks blossomed as she let out a small giggle at his ridiculousness. He slid over closer towards her so that he was sitting next to her, leaning against the wall.

**-// Yeah right//-**

"Yeah right!"

He put his hand to his chest and acted mock-offended at her apparent disbelief in his thin story, slightly amused by the fact that she'd spoken her thoughts, she seemed to do that a lot.

"No really, I'm serious. I quite enjoy the fact that you are so overcome with emotion when you see me, that you feel the overpowering need to crash-tackle me to the ground."

Her face constricted in a mock stern look at his affectionate jibe, but the corners of her mouth betrayed her as they curved up into a smile.

**-//Well he's right about being overcome with emotion but it's not to tackle him to the ground, well maybe it is...//-**

His eyes widened slightly at her suggestive thoughts and she lightly smacked him in the chest when she noticed his slightly shocked expression, letting out a small giggle.

"Prat!"

Her giggling was infectious and he soon found himself joining in with her unabashed laughter, glad that the happy sparkle had once again regained its rightful place in her twinkling blue eyes. When the laughter finally died down, Remus pushed up from the floor and with a slight grunt before gentlemanly offering his hand and helping Tonks up as well.

"As much as I enjoy being knocked to the ground by you, I must admit that I am getting a bit too old for it."

**-// Not again with the getting old bit, I get it already - you think you're too old for me//-**

"Remus you're not old and I swear if you keep saying it I'll be forced to hex you."

Remus looked at her quizzically as she brushed the dust of her pants, glaring up at him from a half-bent over position. What did she mean he thought he was too old for her, too old for what exactly? He was definitely too old for her in a romantic sense, no matter how much he wished otherwise, but surely that wasn't what she was insinuating. He was perplexed as to what she meant and he wanted to know but he couldn't exactly ask her without her knowing that he was listening to her every thought. He was brought out of his musing when he heard her sweet voice again.

**-//Oh, he's definitely not too old, especially when he gets that thoughtful professor look on his face//-**

He snapped his head up quickly to find Tonks watching him dazedly with a sly smirk on her face. When she noticed him looking at her she cleared her throat, a blush once again fighting its way up her neck.

"So, erm, where'd you nick off to anyway? You were acting real strange at the meeting and then you ran out so fast when it finished, you had us all worried. I've been looking for you for ages."

A flash of concern crossed her face again as she scrutinised him, as if inspecting for any outward signs of illness.

"Oh, the twins asked me for advice about one of their products and I just wanted to talk to them without Molly around."

Her forehead wrinkled a little and her nose scrunched as she struggled with whether or not to believe his story.

**-// Why do I get the feeling that there's more to the story?//-**

Her mouth opened slightly but before she could question him about it, Remus cut her off.

"Um – Why... Why were you looking for me anyway? I thought you'd be having your usual after-meeting drink with Sirius"

He gestured wildly with his hand as he desperately tried to draw her attention away from his absence after the meeting. She eyed his flying hand strangely so he gave it one final flick before folding his arms in front of his chest, leaning over slightly as an enquiring look slid onto his features.

**-//My someone's awfully defensive//-**

He noticed as her eyebrows rose at his suspicious stance and he smiled sheepishly at her before he unfolded his arms and let them fall to his sides. She relaxed a little as well.

"I was about to but I was wondering if maybe you'd like to join -//me drunk//- for a -//advantage//- as well."

Her thoughts and her speech jumbled together and Remus' eyebrows furrowed together on his forehead as he tried to decipher them to figure out exactly what she'd said. A hopeful glimmer shone in her eyes as her eyebrows arched high and she seemed to be waiting for an answer to something but he had no idea what. He smiled sheepishly again.

"Sorry I didn't catch that."

"I was asking if you wanted to join Sirius and me for a drink?"

**-//And I was wondering if you wanted to get me drunk and then take advantage, Merlin knows I wouldn't mind.//-**

Thankfully this time her thoughts and speech came out separately however her thoughts had left him rather speechless, had she really just said what he'd thought she'd said, thought? She couldn't like him, he was 12 years older than her but there was really no other way to misinterpret what she'd said. She gave him a quizzical look and he realised she was still waiting for an answer. He knew that he should decline the drinks offer and return to trying to find a way to reverse the boys spell, it was the proper thing to do, listening into other people's private thoughts was wrong, but even though he knew it was rude he really couldn't wait to hear what else the beautiful nymph had to say, well think.

"It's just a drink Remus."

**-//It's really not a hard decision, seriously!!!//-**

He was brought out of his stupor to find Tonks watching him curiously, her arms folded across her chest, foot tapping on the ground silently conveying her intolerance at his inability to answer fast enough. The corners of his lips curved up in a slight smile as he looked at her comical form.

"You really are quite impatient aren't you?"

**-//DUH!!! And that still doesn't answer my question.//-**

She stopped tapping her foot and unfolded her crossed arms, letting out a huff of annoyance before she shot him a sly smirk.

"Alright I will join you and Sirius for a drink, but we'd better hurry, I have a feeling he's already ahead of us."

She let out a small giggle, a cute smile delicately gracing her face, her hair morphing a brighter shade of pink. They started walking towards the stairs, him lightly guiding her gently with his hand on the small of her back.

**-//I love when he gets all gentlemanly like that. Gods I get shivers just from his hand on my back, I'd probably faint from sensory overload if he ever touched me for real//-**

A smug smile lit up his face at her thoughts and he reluctantly removed his hand from her back when they reached the stairs, he could have sworn he heard a disappointed sigh emanate from her lips. He shook himself mentally, Tonks couldn't like him like that, no he was just imagining it. He was broken from his thoughts when she nudged him with her shoulder.

"And I'm not impatient, you're simply undecisive."

He was momentarily confused about her off comment but when he cast his mind back, he scoffed slightly as he realised her meaning.

"You mean indecisive."

She rolled her eyes at him.

**-//whatever – trust him to nit-pick my grammar when I'm trying point out his flaws.//-**

He let out a quite chuckle at her snarky inner-comment and he was just beginning to enjoy being privy to her inner-most ponderings when her next thought caught him completely off guard.

**-//Actually I'd say I'm quite patient really, I've been waiting for you to ask me out for ages.//-**

He stared at her for a second, eyes wide open in shock. She wanted him to ask her out, but that would mean she liked him and she couldn't like him, could she? Of course he liked her, he'd be a fool not to – she was gorgeous and funny and witty and completely amazing and he was, well him. Her liking him was inconceivable and yet he'd been hearing thoughts to the contrary all evening. He was so caught out by her thought that he missed the next step and swayed on the edge, arms flailing about wildly to obtain balance, before he inevitably felt the plunging feeling in his stomach as he tumbled down the rest of the stairs, landing at the bottom with a crash loud enough to wake Mrs Black's grotesque portrait.

**"MUDBLOODS, BLOOD-TRAITORS, SHAPE-SHIFTING FREAKS!! BEGONE FROM THIS HOUSE YOU VILE FILTH!!!!"**

He let out a groan of displeasure as he lay still at the base of the stairs, a tangled mass of limbs, face flushing deep red at the embarrassment of it all. Tonks was almost doubled over with laughter as she carefully made her way down the rest of the stairs, clutching her side as her loud bursts of childish laughter filled the halls. Her giggling subsided a little as she caught sight of Remus' stern look and deciding it would easier to tease him without the horrific screaming's of her Aunt, she reached around to pull her wand out the back-pocket of her faded blue jeans.

But just as she went to step over Remus' sprawled form to get close enough to aim a silencing spell at the portrait, he decided to get up and help as well and she went tumbling towards the ground, knocking him back over in the process before landing on top of him. It was at this point that Arthur and Molly Weasley burst into the hall brandishing their wands, the latter shaking her head in disapproval as she spotted them both lying on the ground, faces blood-red from laughter. They cast a few quick spells and the dreary house was silent once again.

**-//I should've known it would be Tonks, that girl can't go a day without disrupting this house.//-**

Remus sobered immediately when he felt Molly's fiery gaze on the pair of them and he felt slightly offended on Tonks' behalf by Molly's critical thoughts as he yet again raised himself off the dirty threadbare carpet, before graciously offering Tonks his hand to help her up as well. She smiled at him gratefully as she accepted his helping hand before jumping to her feet with energy he envied. It was common courtesy to help someone up if they'd fallen but even if it wasn't, he'd help her up just to see her smile. He loved her smile, the way her plump lips would curve upwards at the corners forcing her rosy cheeks higher, eyes squinting slightly as that one little dimple revealed itself on her left cheek – he would do anything to make her smile. He continued to look at the beautiful, although slightly tousled, witch before him with a stupid grin on his face until Molly's shrill voice brought him back to reality.

"Remus dear are you alright?" She scrutinised him carefully for injury before turning to the pink-haired witch beside him who was shaking her head vigorously to remove the dust lodged in her spiky hair. "Tonks you really ought to be more careful, you could've hurt poor Remus."

Tonks stopped shaking her head immediately and stared defiantly at the older witch.

"Molly it wasn't my fault."

Molly shook her head slightly, a disbelieving look taking over her rigid features. "I know dear, the umbrella stand has it in for you but do try to take more care, we can't have you hurting yourself because of a tumble."

**-//Or somebody else for that matter//-**

With that she walked past them and followed Arthur up the stairs, Tonks stared at her retreating form indignantly, her hair morphing from vivid pink to a fiery red.

**-//I'll hurt you in a second//-**

"Geez I get blamed even when it's somebody else's fault."

**-//And the umbrella stand does have it in for me//-**

Deciding he didn't want the rest of the night to be ruined by Tonks brooding over Molly's harsh critique, he decided to lighten the mood so he nudged Tonks lightly with his shoulder.

"Well it's not all my fault, if _you_ hadn't tried to step over me," he shot her a sly smirk but she cut him off before he could finish, an incredulous look appeared on her features, replacing her look of rage at the Weasley matriarch.

"If you hadn't fallen down the bloody stairs in the first place. Who's the clumsy one now, eh?"

"Well that's not fair I never called you clumsy when you tripped on the carpet upstairs."

"No you just laughed at me instead."

**-//Which made me feel 10 times worse//-**

The teasing disappeared from her voice as a more sombre tone took over, her eyes suddenly finding something interesting to stare at on the floor. Remus' smile faltered as he watched her.

"In all fairness I wasn't laughing at you, I was laughing at the situation."

**-//Yeah right//-**

"Sure you were."

"I was," he gave a little chuckle, "C'mon you've got to admit, it was kind of funny."

**-//Oh yeah – it was hil-ar-ious. Crashing into you, hurting my knees and my pride – it was absolutely hysterical//-**

She shot him an unamused look and he stopped laughing immediately, shrinking away from her a little as her hair glowed an even brighter red. Deciding he didn't want to end up the focus of her mis-directed anger at Molly, he subtly changed the subject.

"C'mon, we'd better get to the kitchen before Sirius has drunk all the good stuff and we're left with the ghastly elf-made wine."

Tonks made a gagging face as Remus grabbed her hand and dragged her down the entryway towards the stairs that led to the basement kitchen.

**-//Ooh holding hands, aren't we moving fast.//-**

Remus almost dropped her hand in shock when he realised that they were in fact holding hands, albeit inadvertently, but the smile on Tonks face and the now vibrant pink colour of her hair made him grasp her hand a little firmer. When they reached the kitchen door at the base of the stairs he gave her slender hand one final squeeze before he dropped it, he wasn't so sure Sirius would be happy with his little cousin holding the hand of a lecherous old werewolf.

When they opened the door they found Sirius sitting at the table, opening a new bottle of Ogden's Finest, an empty bottle already sitting on the table in front of him. He was leaning back on a chair on the far side of the table, his long black hair dishevelled, eyes a little glazed over and he had the look of someone who'd reached the too-much-alcohol limit hours ago but when he spoke, surprisingly his words weren't slurry at all.

"You right Tonks, I heard the crash – sounded like it musta hurt a bit."

**-// Why does everyone automatically assume it was me, I'm not the only one capable of falling over you know.//-**

"It wasn't me that fell, it was Remus."

The teasing tone of her voice went unnoticed as Sirius stared at his old-friend with upmost concern, instead of taking the piss out of him like she'd expected.

"You fell," Tonks watched with curiosity as Sirius continued to appraise the man beside her, "You sure you're feeling alright mate?"

Remus tried to convey his wellness to Sirius but before he could say anything, Tonks cut him off.

"Alright what's going on here? First you rush out of the meeting like you had better things to do, claiming that you had to speak to the Twins. Then I find you in the hallway staring into space and now Sirius is unnaturally concerned about you – what exactly have you been up to?"

Remus walked around the table and sat down next to Sirius as Tonks watched him suspiciously, her foot tapping impatiently against the floor. Remus summoned two glasses and filled them both half-full of amber liquid before pushing one glass across the table in Tonks direction. She got the hint and took a seat opposite him, an expectant look still clear on her face as she took a sip, her face screwing up in dislike at the awful taste. Remus put the glass to his lips and, refraining from breathing the putrid smell in through his nose, he downed the drink in one go before explained the situation.

"I tried one of the Weasley twins new inventive products this afternoon and I was feeling a little strange so I went to ask them what was in it."

The eyebrows on Tonks forehead rose and her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as she shook her head at his stupidity.

"Are you kidding me, you willingly tried one of their products? Are you completely mental?"

**-//OMG – and I thought he was smart.//-**

"Well it wasn't exactly what you would call willingly."

"It was the result of a bet that Moony lost."

"A bet in which I was hoodwinked by their carefully executed conspiracy."

**-// You got duped by two teenagers and a drunk, you really aren't smart.//-**

Remus gave a slight huff of indignity at her thoughts. Just because he'd tried an untested sweet offered by two untrustworthy boys, it didn't mean he wasn't smart. He was slightly annoyed that both inner-Tonks and outer-Tonks were laughing at him and he kicked her lightly under the table but her giggle was infectious and he soon found himself laughing with her at the stupid predicament he landed himself in.

"What was the bet anyway?"

"Sirius bet that he could fit 30 Druballs in his mouth."

Her eyes widened in shock as she stared blankly at Remus, "How did you lose, that's impossible."

Remus shot an I-told-you-so look at the scruffy wizard beside him but Sirius just smiled smugly.

"Yeah but ol' Moony here forgot to stipulate on the use of magic, so I shrank 'em all."

Tonks laughed loudly again before she downed the rest of her drink. Sirius topped her glass up after he'd refilled his own and she tried to stop him.

"I shouldn't drink too much, I've got work tomorrow and then guard duty tomorrow night, only one boring shift again this week."

**-// Well it won't be all boring, at least I get to spend it with Remus//-**

Tonks shot Remus a sweet smile but before he could say anything, he was cut off by a rather indignant Sirius.

"You should try being me, locked up here 24/7." Sirius let out a rather large huff of annoyance. "I don't know what you're complaining about, at least you got a shift."

**-//I got one little tiny shift, you jumped-up, egotistical...//-**

The ends of Tonks hair began to morph a fiery red again and Remus knew he had to stop things before they escalated out of control, Black tempers were not something to mess with.

"Tonks if it makes you feel any better I've only got one guard shift this week as well and I'm glad it's with you."

The smile that lit up Tonks face at his words made him grateful of his new found ability. He turned his attention to Sirius.

"And Sirius almost everybody in the Wizarding world is keeping an eye out for you. If you were spotted while doing guard duty, not only would you earn a one-way ticket back to Azkaban but you'd expose the Order and you get Kingsley in trouble, you're meant to be sunning yourself in the Caribbean this week."

Sirius grumbled loudly as he leaned back in his chair, staring angrily at the glass of Firewhiskey he was currently nursing.

"For Merlin's sake Sirius, you're a bloody fugitive. Were you honestly expecting Dumbledore to ask you to break into the Ministry?"

Remus let out a cheeky grin as he teased his sulky friend, running a hand through his silky greying hair.

**-//Ooh, I love when he does that, he looks way sexier with his hair all tousled like that. I wonder if that's what his hair looks like after...//-**

Remus spun around quickly to face Tonks, cheeky grin still in place, but when he caught her eye she quickly turned away.

**-//Nice one Tonks, just pretend you weren't staring at him, it wasn't like he caught you or anything - idiot. Gods could I have acted anymore like a lovesick teenager//-**

Remus listened concernedly as Tonks continued to silently berate herself whilst she downed the rest of her drink before refilling her glass. Her thoughts shocked him a little because she'd always come across so confident, to hear her second-guess her actions was a strange thing. She continued to stare anywhere around the room but at Remus until Sirius called attention back to himself.

"Oh by the way Moony, Molly wants us to share a bathroom on the third floor. She mustn't want the girls to sneak a peek at my gorgeous form in the shower."

Sirius gave a pretentious smile, his whole attitude reeking of smugness. Meanwhile Remus just turned towards him, staring at him with a look that conveyed scepticism, one eyebrow raised higher than the other on his forehead, mouth twisting into an unperturbed grimace of doubt.

"I'm sure she's just trying to protect them from the emotional scarring of seeing your 'form'."

Tonks let out a small chuckle at Remus' comment but Sirius just looked on indignant.

"Or maybe she's just trying to protect them from the 'emotional scarring'," he used his fingers to lazily illustrate air-quotes, "of seeing their former-Professor in a towel."

**-//I don't know, Professor Lupin in a towel – now that I'd pay to see//-**

Remus turned to face Tonks and without realising that she'd made the comment in her head and not out loud, he responded.

"Trust me, it's not worth a knut."

The effect was instantaneous, a fierce blush took over her face as she looked away from the table, embarrassment filling her eyes as her hand went to her forehead, her eyes just peeking out from between her fingers. She let out a small groan.

**-// OMG - I can't believe I said that out loud//-**

Remus eyes widened as he realised that he'd responded to something she hadn't said and he sat in his chair silently hoping that Sirius wouldn't say anything. Sirius just scratched his head in confusion but before he could say anything, Tonks had turned her gaze back to the boys and pushed her half-drank glass of Fire-whiskey away from her.

"You know you've had enough when you start to say things out loud that were only meant to be in your head. I'm going to call it a night. I'll meet you here at 6 tomorrow night for guard duty Remus."

Remus nodded his head in agreement as Tonks walked past him and out of the kitchen. He watched her walk out before he turned to face Sirius who was staring blankly in front of him, a confused expression lighting up his rugged features.

"I don't get it Moony, she didn't say anything about knut's, did she?"

Checking to make sure Tonks was indeed out of earshot, he finally revealed his secret to his old friend, hoping for some advice.

"No she didn't but she thought it. And because of the Weasley twins stupid sweet, now I can hear women's thoughts."

He spoke in a hushed whisper and he wasn't sure that Sirius had heard him until a delighted look lit up his face.

"The spell worked, and now you can hear women's thoughts. Well that's pretty cool now, innit."

Remus shook his head at the blasé attitude of his friend.

"No it's not cool Sirius, it's a complete invasion of privacy. You've got to help me find a way to reverse it."

"Like hell I will. Why in Merlin's name would you want to get rid of such an incredible gift? Every man on earth wants to know what women think and now you do. Besides this could come in handy, especially when it comes to a certain pink-haired witch."

Remus attention had begun to wane when he realised that Sirius wasn't in any state to help him but when he heard him mention a 'pink-haired witch' he snapped his head back to focus on his drunken mate.

"What are you talking about Padfoot?"

"Geez Moony, you don't have to be able to read minds to know that my little cousin has a big crush on you. And if you haven't noticed that than you're a blind bloody fool."

Remus face went from one of piqued interest to vague realization in an instant, Sirius wasn't telling him anything he didn't know. After just over an hour with Tonks, he'd come to realise that she definitely saw him as a romantic interest but he couldn't let anything happen. Surely her feelings weren't as strong as her thoughts, it was probably just a naive crush.

"I've noticed but I didn't think it was a big deal."

"Yeah well now you know it is so you can use this ability to your advantage. Just listen to what she thinks and you'll have her in no time." Remus went to protest but Sirius cut him off. "Don't pretend you don't want her too, I've seen the way you look at her and I've seen you flirtin with her."

"I have not flirted with her."

Sirius put on a high pitched squeaky voice – " 'I only have one Guard shift this week and I'm glad it's with you' – pathetic maybe but it's still flirtin so just listen to her thoughts and maybe you'll do better."

Remus let out a long extended sigh as his moral self took over.

"I can't Sirius, it's wrong. I'm just going to have to tell her the truth, she has a right to know that I can hear her private thoughts."

"You can't tell her the truth because than she'll know that you heard everything she thought tonight. Look at the way she reacted when she thought that she'd said one little thing out loud, now imagine how she'll be if you tell her that you heard everything. She'd be mortified and she'll think you're a prat for not telling her straight away. Just do as I say and everything will work out. Trust me."

"Trust me – now where have I heard that to today. Oh yeah, it was just before you swindled me out of winning the bet, forcing me into this situation in the first place."

Sirius shot Remus a creepy smile that was meant to convey trust as he got up and patted his mate gently on the shoulder.

"Trust me, don't trust me – your choice really. But if you want to end up with Tonks, and don't pretend you don't, you're going to have to trust somebody – coz your rubbish with girls mate."

With that final parting comment he stumbled out of the kitchen leaving a confused Remus behind to contemplate the impending disaster that was bound to be guard duty.

* * *

Ok so that's Chapter 3 done. Coming up next 'GUARD DUTY – with R/T' – should be a good one. I don't know when I'll be able to update next but reviews seem to get the creative juices flowing faster – HA HA.

HATE IT/LOVE IT – leave a review and let me know. You've already done the hard part in reading it – so why not review - PLEASE – it makes me happy when I see shiny little review notifications in my inbox. (yes I know that makes me sound pathetic but – meh!)

HUGZ N KISSES  
EllaQueenB


	4. Guard Duty

Heya

Dear faithful readers, the wait is finally over, and what a long wait it was – sorry for that. So after much ado, even more excitement (mostly on my part) and some melodrama (on behalf of my fav reviewer) I finally present to you – the Guard Duty chapter.

As always – thanks to all the people who've read my story and even more thanks to the people who inspired me to write with their reviews, much love guys. SO - **Mrs. Weasley the Kataang Luver, heyyodude, Bookish Brownie, Juine –umathurman-, Flo M Nimo, kk11819, PhoenixDreamer55, pet-munchkin, vampiratelycan, ivonne910, Death's-Razor-Blade, Cooperboombaby8, Shadowlark71, firelily28, Megan, EragonandArya, ClashChick, RemusJ and krynn – **here's to ya.

(Extra Hugz n Kisses – and much love – go to pet-muchkin who gave me extra reason's to update faster, guess the universe is going to be okay now Jord :D Her fic _Riddikulus_ also inspired the first part of this story before the actual Guard Duty part so thanks muchly for that. Go check it out it's pretty funny.)

* * *

**Guard Duty**

The hot water cascaded over Remus' body, relaxing his tortured muscles as he stood under the forceful spray in the 3rd floor bathroom at Grimmauld Place. He'd been going through transformations for many years but the rigidness that took hold of his body before the impending moon always seemed to sneak up on him and catch him by surprise. The bathroom on the second floor had lovely deep tub and he'd have given his last Knut to soak it in for a while but he knew he couldn't, he was confined to dingy bathroom with Sirius, at least until the kids went back to school. Not that he had the time to soak anyway, he was due to start his guard duty with Nymphadora soon.

His hair smelled refreshingly of wolfberry, due to all the shampoo and conditioner he'd massaged into his scalp, and the soap suds that had once been lathered over his skin had long since disappeared down the drain, but he just couldn't bring himself to leave the warm comfort of the stall shower. He flexed his hands and impassively watched as the skin pulled taut before he relaxed them and watched the skin grow wrinkly again, he really had been in there far too long.

Grudgingly, he reached forward and turned the taps off, stepping away from the spray as it turned bitingly cold before ceasing completely. He shook his head vigorously to remove the excess water clinging to his hair as he opened the shower screen and stepped out onto the cold floor, water dripping off his naked body and puddling on the ground as he reached for his towel. It was then that he heard it, an almighty crash followed by the high-pitched shrieking sound of a woman's scream.

It didn't take long for the crazed screaming of the Black family portraits to join the mix and the effect on Remus was instantaneous. Confusion and worry filled his once calm face as he seized his wand off the vanity and charged out of the bathroom door in search of the commotion, tying the fluffy white towel haphazardly around his waist along the way.

The crazed screaming's of Mrs Black had ceased by the time he was half-way down the stairs but he lifted his wand higher and continued to sprint the rest of the way down, unsure of what he would be 

greeted with when he reached the bottom. He had just approached the first-floor landing when he heard a sound so curious that it made him stop, his brows furrowing in confusion. The screams that had once disrupted the house had now ceased, instead the sound of jubilant laughter filled the dank hallways. The sound piqued his interest and he trotted down the stairs leading to the foyer, stopping suddenly about half-way down by the peculiar sight before him.

At the bottom of the stairs, sprawled arbitrarily across the entryway, were two bodies. A young witch with stunningly pink-hair lay at the bottom of the stairs, clutching her side as tumultuous giggles wracked her lithe body. Remus merely shook his head and chuckled slightly, it was no surprise that she was there. He recognised her infectious little laugh before he even saw who it was, and it really wasn't astonishing to see her on the floor either.

He tore his gaze away from the giggly young nymph as he heard a slight groan of pain and turned towards where the other body lay, a mass of dark clothes and hair that was sprawled on the ground in front of the upturned Troll Leg umbrella stand. The man in question sat up slowly, his unkempt black hair falling messily around his face as he rubbed the back of his head. Remus' eyes widened in shock when he recognised the shaggy man before him, for there sitting on the worn carpeted floors, tentatively rubbing his sore head, was Sirius Black.

"Are you two alright?"

Remus asked the question with a slight smile that completely betrayed the sincerity in his eyes. Sirius answered him gruffly.

"Oh I'm fan-bloody-tastic mate, thanks for asking."

Remus rolled his eyes at his friends' blatant attempt at sarcasm but the sight of Sirius in such a humorous predicament forced a loud chuckle to escape from his lips. He soon found himself the center of attention as Sirius and Tonks focused on him, identical looks of unbridled shock taking up residence on their faces at seeing Remus. J. Lupin in a towel.

**-/ Oooh, I saw it... and it was good. There's not enough Galleons in my Gringott's vault to pay for that/-**

A satisfied smile flitted over Remus' face as he stood up straighter, feeling a little bolder, and he looked up to find Tonks staring at him, her tongue slowly darting out of her mouth to tantalisingly lick her upper lip before she softly bit her lower lip, a look of abject pleasure on her bright young features, lust filling up her youthful eyes. Her rapturous laughter had long since ceased and when Remus caught her eye and she abruptly looked away, a pale pink tinge appearing on her cheeks.

**-/ MMMM – so good/- **

A small blush was working its way up his own neck at her more than generous thoughts but he was brought out of his stupor by Sirius' gruff voice.

"Geez mate if you needed money that bad you could have just asked. I mean I know young Tonks here, said she'd pay money to see ya in a towel but that's no need to extort her."

Remus couldn't help but blush at his friends jibe. He knew Sirius didn't mean the cruel things he said, that he was retaliating to being put in a potentially embarrassing situation, but having his poor monetary situation thrown in his face still hurt. Especially when it was brought up in front of a certain cute metamorphagus.

**-/That was a little rough/-**

She muttered something that sounded like 'prat' as she pushed Sirius hard in the shoulder and he fell backwards towards the ground again, his head making a loud thud with the floor. He lay sprawled out on the floor grumbling for a while before he pulled himself back up into a sitting position ready to retaliate. Remus watched as a disappointed expression flashed across his friends face as he stared at the blank space next to him which used to be occupied by Tonks. The disenchanted look on his face only lasted momentarily before a mischievous glint stole into Sirius' eyes, Remus knew that he'd get Tonks back for shoving him somehow and if it wasn't physical then it could only be –

"Despite the fact that my little cousin appears to greatly enjoy seeing you half-naked mate, not all of us find it as appealing. Do you mind?"

The effect was immediate, Tonks looked completely mortified as she turned away from Remus' gaze once again, her mouth open in shock at the previous statement.

**-/ BLOODY WANKER – /-**

Whilst Tonks appeared to be now obviously uncomfortable with the whole situation, Sirius on the other hand had a satisfied smirk on his face as he rested gently back on his elbows, too lazy to get up off the floor, or maybe he thought Tonks was less likely to attack him if he was still on the ground. Sirius shot an expectant look his way and it brought him back to reality where he remembered that he was still standing on the stairs in a towel, dripping water all over the floor.

He flicked his wand gently and softly muttered _'Ocius Siccus'_ and a swift wind whipped around him, leaving him completely dry. Another flick, and a quiet '_Induviae Appario'_ and suddenly a blue button up shirt appeared on his once naked torso, the fluffy white towel gently slid off his hips and landed in a heaped pile at his feet, revealing neatly pressed brown pants.

**-/ Of course it works perfectly when he does it, he's amazing. Whenever I do it I end up with half a skirt and half a pair of trousers. I do wonder though if he managed to conjure underwear or is he going 'au naturel'/-**

In a desperate attempt to avoid Tonks' lewd thoughts, he straightened up and instead sent Sirius a you-happy-now expression but before his friend could bite back with another derisive comment he held up his finger to stop him. He languidly flicked his wand again and the white towel sprung to life and mopped up the slippery mess he'd created before it disappeared into thin air.

**-/ And he cleans up after himself, no wonder I like him/-**

A smug smile flitted onto Remus's face as he watched his friend roll his eyes at him.

"What you doing down here in just a towel anyway, decided you wanted to show off your scrawny excuse for a body?"

"If you must know, I was just stepping out of the shower when the sound of your crashing fall reverberated up the stairs. I thought there an attack or something from the sheer sound of it and then I heard Nymphadora scream, so I came down to see what was wrong."

He walked the rest of the way down the rickety stairs as he gave his explanation. Upon hearing it Sirius grumbled slightly and turned away, muttering 'bloody excuse for everything' under his breath. He gave a small breath of laughter at his friends' childish antics before turning to look at Tonks, finding her watching him with a satisfied smile on her face.

**-/ Aww, he came running down the stairs half-naked just to make sure I was OK. That's sweet! /-**

Her smile fell a little and an annoyed look flashed in her eyes.

**-/ Now if only he'd stop calling me that stupid name /-**

He knew instinctively what was coming before she even said it, she'd been saying the same thing almost every day since they'd met.

"My names Tonks, Remus," he was prepared for that but what she said next surprised him, "and it wasn't me screaming."

She looked pointedly at Sirius when she spoke and Remus noticed the satisfied smile slide back on to her face as she looked at her cousin. He turned his attention back to Sirius and shook his head incredulously.

"No, Padfoot? It wasn't really you was it?"

He asked the question with a slight smile and Sirius suddenly found something interesting to stare at in the carpet. He turned his head again and looked towards Tonks for confirmation and saw her with her hand covering her mouth, eyes crinkled at the corners, face red with the effort of suppressing her giggles.

**-/ Yeah it was, he screams worse than me /-**

Remus let out a bark of laughter as he turned back towards his friend, shaking his head once again in disbelief.

"But it was such a girly scream."

"Yeah well you'd scream like a bloody girl too if it happened to you."

Sirius' face hardened and he abruptly pushed himself up from his elbows so that he was sitting on the musty old carpet.

"I was just walking along the hallway, minding my own business, when that stupid umbrella stand," as he said this he violently kicked the ugly troll leg so that it rolled pathetically against the wall, "sprung to life, jumped out of nowhere and tripped me over."

Remus simply rolled his eyes at his best friends farcical story, because really what other way was there to respond to that. Why was it that all Black relatives felt the overwhelming need to blame their clumsiness on inanimate objects?

**-/ See, I said it all along and now there's conclusive proof – the umbrella stand is evil."**

He closed his eyes briefly and let out a small chuckle at Tonks' inner triumphant cheers. But he quickly realised that things just didn't add up. The story was plausible, although he was sure Sirius falling was more to do with one-too-many firewhisky's than natural clumsiness, and it explained the crashing sound, the girly scream and why Sirius was on the floor, but it didn't answer why Tonks was there beside him.

"Sirius had the umbrella stand covered, so how'd you fall over then?"

He directed his question at Tonks but it was Sirius who answered.

"The little blighter fell over laughing after she shut up my dear-old mum."

**-/ It's still funny. That image will keep me smiling forever, and if not that one than surely the one of Remus in a towel will/-**

Her infectious laughter once again filled the entryway as she walked towards Remus.

"I've just got to grab something from my room upstairs and then we'll be off, yeah?"

She brushed past him gently before making her way up the stairs, it was only brief contact but it left her light flowery scent on his crisp new shirt. He smiled slightly as he inhaled it in before shaking himself out of his stupor and moving towards Sirius and offering his fallen friend his hand.

"Come on Padfoot."

Sirius grudgingly accepted his hand and hoisted himself off of the ground before bending slightly and brushing the copious dust off his slacks. Meanwhile Remus shifted about nervously, an uneasy expression sliding onto his face.

"Sirius I'm not so sure about lying to Tonks about this whole mind-reading thing. I think I might just tell her, she has a right to know."

Sirius stood up straighter and looked at his friend incredulously.

"Trust me Moony, don't tell her anything."

**-/Sounds ominous/-**

Remus abruptly spun round on his heel and found Tonks walking back down the staircase towards them.

"Don't tell who, what?"

Sirius looked away suspiciously, feigning disinterest in the conversation, whilst Remus was left to shrug his shoulders in a non-committal manner, shaking his head as if to acknowledge the unimportance of their previous conversation before completely changing the subject.

"You ready then?"

Tonks eyed him curiously before letting the subject drop.

"Yeah, I've just got to drop these documents off in my office," as if to prove her point she held up the coloured files she was holding, " so I'll just meet you in the corridor outside OK?"

With that she disapparated away with a slight pop, not even bothering to wait for an affirmative answer. Sirius lightly nudged Remus' shoulder.

"If it'll make you less edgy, I'll try and figure out how the spell works while you're away."

Remus shot his friend a thankful smile before he too disappeared into thin air with a slight pop.

-RLNT-

He reappeared again with a faint pop, deep in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic. An unintentional shiver ran down his spine as he walked down along the dark, deserted corridors towards the plain black door at the end of the hall, his footsteps echoing as he went. He hated this place, he hated it with a passion, it made the hairs stand up on the back of his neck and his stomach tie in knots. Normally werewolves weren't allowed in Ministry buildings but he remembered coming down here once as a child, just after he was bitten. He remembered the looks that everyone gave him, the way half of them turned away when they saw him, as though they couldn't even bear to see him. He remembered what happened to him that day in the Department of Mysteries, the tests they put him through, the way they poked and prodded him, the way they treated him just like an animal - all in the name of research. He hated this place.

Without any warning at all, Tonks appeared beside him with a soft pop and a loud 'Wotcher'. He jumped slightly at her sudden appearance, his hand going to rest on his chest as his heart sped up at the shock.

**-/Someone's a little jumpy tonight/-**

"Are you alright?"

Remus shifted nervously beside her and shot her a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, this place is just –"

"It's creepy right, especially when there's no-one else here."

He nodded his agreement and they continued their way down the corridor. If it was even possible, this place was even worse without the hustle and bustle of other people, at least since he'd discovered the holes in the Ministry's wards they could use apparition inside the building now. As if reading his thoughts, Tonks spoke .

"It's so much easier now though, that we can apparate inside instead of sneaking around hoping not to be caught. I'm not so good at the sneaking."

He chuckled slightly at the idea of Tonks trying to sneak around a deserted Ministry.

"Now I thought it would have been easier for you to sneak around here seeing as though there's no evil Umbrella stand to jump out and trip you up."

She pushed his shoulder lightly as they approached the black door.

"Prat"

**-/You'll see how evil the umbrella stand is. It's already got Sirius, it'll get to you eventually/-**

Remus laughed at her antics as he reached a hand out to the grip the doorknob and gently pushed the door open. He held the door open and gestured for Tonks to walk in first. He watched her raise her wand before brushing past him, rubbing up against him lightly again as she walked in.

**-/ If I keep rubbing up against him, he's got to react eventually right /-**

Remus' jaw dropped open in shock as he followed her into the circular room, he couldn't believe it, she was driving him crazy deliberately. She turned around when she reached the center of the room and casually dropped to the ground, watching him curiously as she sat cross-legged on the highly polished floor. Her face was bathed in the soft blue light that the candles were emitting and he watched as she scrunched her eyes up and her spiky hair grew longer, lightly brushing her shoulders as it changed colours from pink to blue.

"I was just about to mention that your pink hair was clashing horribly with the candle light. Glad you changed it, don't know if I would have been able to concentrate otherwise."

She laughed softly as he walked across the room and sat down near her, his back lightly touching hers, the walls shifting suddenly as he sat. They didn't know exactly which room they were meant to be guarding, it was kind of difficult to judge when the walls kept moving around, so they had to keep a constant watch on all of them. Constant vigilance as Moody would say.

**-/ Knew he'd notice it if I changed /-**

Remus suddenly realised the difficultness of his new position, with his back to her it was going to be difficult to tell if she was actually saying the things that he heard of if he was merely hearing her thoughts.

"I see you got through the werewolf-protection wards alright, Moody said it might have been a bit more difficult this close to the full-moon."

He took a while before he answered her, he had to be sure she was actually asking it, he didn't want a repeat of last night. He must have took too long because he heard her give out a small agitated sigh and he felt her turn her head slightly to look at him.

**-/Again with the indecisiveness to answer a simple question/-**

He gave a small chuckle at her impatience.

"It was fine, no harder than usual. Mostly due to the fact that the wards are actually faulty, only work when a transformed werewolf crosses them."

Tonks craned her head further around to gage whether he was telling the truth, Remus turned his head to the side and noticed her eyes grow wide in disbelief.

**-/No wonder the Ministry doesn't want to admit You-Know-Who's back, the whole bloody department's completely useless/-**

"You know since I'm an Auror it's my responsibility to tell the ministry if there's a security issue, but I don't think I'll tell them about this one."

Remus waited patiently for her to think of the reason why she wasn't going to tell but when he didn't hear anything he realised he was going to have to prompt her for an answer.

"And why exactly would you shirk your official responsibility like that?"

The question was simple but he heard Tonks breath catch in her throat as she sought for an answer.

"Well if I told them then they'd fix it and you wouldn't be able to get in to do guard duty."

**-/Oh yeah that's the real reason. Merlin why am I such a coward, why can't I just tell him the real reason, it's not that hard to do.../-**

Remus listened as Tonks inwardly chastised herself but he couldn't help but feel a little frustrated at it because she wasn't thinking what the real reason was, and he really wanted to know. He moved slightly from where he was sitting so that he could see her better and he caught her eye, she was staring at him too, her bottom lip caught gently between her teeth. Their heads were so close that when she spoke, he could feel her warm sweet breath on his face.

"And that would be a real shame because there's no one else I'd rather do Guard Duty with."

Remus noticed the smile that took over her face after she'd said it, a genuine smile – mixed with a little embarrassment at her own honesty. Her smile was so wide that it crinkled the corners of her eyes, that irresistible dimple appearing in her cheek. He looked into her now hazel eyes and he knew that she wasn't lying, her eyes were so wide and the truth shone through them, it was enough to melt his heart. He knew that they were meant to be 'constantly vigilant' but he just couldn't tear himself from gazing into Nymphadora's beautiful eyes, he could spend an eternity looking into them and never get tired of it.

A glint of colour to the left caught his eye and he looked away to notice that Tonks' hair had returned to the pink colour he was so fond of. He looked back at her, a questioning look in his eyes but he noticed that she was no longer staring into his eyes. Her gaze had drifted down and had since settled on his lips, she was watching them with rapt attention. He was about to say something when she looked back up at him, her head slowly moving closer towards his. He found himself staring at her lips this time as he unconsciously began to move closer to her as well, he'd only just realised how much he wanted to kiss her, how much he wanted to feel her lips against his, to find out if her 

lips were as tantalisingly soft as they looked, to see if her kisses were as good as they were in his dreams.

Her lips had only just lightly brushed across his, sending shivers down his spine at the contact, when the sound of footsteps echoed into the room. They both jumped apart suddenly as though burned and were on their feet within seconds, wands drawn high ready for battle. This was why they were here, why they were guarding the doors to the Department of Mysteries, but it still scared him a little that someone would try to break in.

He flicked his wand gently and a musty old cloak appeared in his hands, the fabric sliding slightly between his fingers as he moved behind Tonks and enveloped them both in it. The fabric of the old garment was so thin that they could see through it and he sent up a silent thanks to Merlin that the invisibility charm was still holding strong as he moved closer to Tonks and adjusted it carefully so that it covered them completely.

He heard Tonks take a sharp intake of breath and he could faintly hear her heart beating faster, or was that his own heartbeat he could hear thudding in his ears.

**-/ Ok breathe, just breathe Tonks/-**

Her breathing was shallow and she was standing rigid as a board, and even though the butterflies were swarming in his own stomach at her closeness, he thought her reaction was merely because of their impending visitor.

**-/ So he's standing just behind you, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter that he's standing so close that I can feel that heat coming off his body, that I can smell him, that I can still feel his lips on mine/-**

He watched on transfixed as she lifted her hand up to her face and touched lightly touched her fingers to her lips, the intruder just beyond one of the doors almost completely forgotten.

**-/NO – I won't let this affect me, not now, I'm a god-damned professional for Merlin's sake/-**

Despite her inward thoughts, Remus felt her move back closer to him until her back was completely crushed up against his chest, until there was no space left between their bodies. His hand instinctively snaked itself around her waist to pull her closer and he had to repress the urge to groan at the contact but he could have sworn he heard Tonks gasp as his fingers splayed out further across her belly.

**-/I only moved closer to him for strictly professional reasons, to make sure the cloak completely covered us. Not because I wanted to feel his skin on mine. NO – professional. /-**

He smiled slightly as she tried to reason her motives with herself but the smile quickly slid off his face when the door directly in front of them swung open, all Tonks thoughts stopping as well, they both understood how serious this was. If it was a Ministry worker than they'd both be charged with trespassing and would end up in Askaban, and if it was a Death Eater, he shuddered, he didn't even want to think of what would happen then.

They both seemed to hold their breaths as a dark hooded figure appeared in the doorway, he raised his wand up high and muttered 'Lumos'. He looked suspiciously around the small space, the light emitting from his wand spreading into the dark circular room, and Remus quickly looked down to make sure their feet weren't peeking out the bottom of the cloak.

The intruder was either satisfied the room was empty or knew of their presence and didn't want to contend, because after a few moments he muttered 'Nox' and the light emitting from his wand ceased, plunging the room into almost darkness again, lit only by the bluish flame of the candles. He then retreated from the room without a word, leaving the door slightly ajar in his hasty exit.

Remus waited until he could no longer hear footsteps echoing in the hall before attempting to remove the cloak and stepping away from the pretty witch in front of him. His movements were halted however when Tonks put her hand on his, the one that was around her waist, and motioned for him to stop.

**-/Ok think Tonks, think. Damn I'm an Auror and I can't think on my feet. C'mon plausible reason why we shouldn't move apart and go back to sitting away from each other on the floor. Erm – coz I like your touch/-**

Satisfied that there were no pressing reasons for her sudden death grip on his hand, he relaxed a bit and waited for her to creatively come up with a reason for not wanting him to move.

"It, erm, it might just be a trick. He might disillusion himself and come back down, see he left the door open a little, maybe he's hoping to catch someone."

Even though he knew that she was simply making it up, she did have a point. And since they couldn't risk being captured they'd just have to stay put, at least that's how he reasoned it to himself. Ultimately though, he was just as reluctant to let go of her as she was of him to let go, so he tightened his hand around her waist and bent closer so that when he spoke, his warm breath flitted dangerously close to her ears.

"Yeah, you have a valid point there. But I must admit that my back is already protesting from having to crouch down, it's not as easy to fit under here as it was when I was young."

He couldn't help the old comment that slipped from his lips, it was a habit, and it was the truth. But he immediately regretted his words when Tonks pinched the loose skin on the back of his hand. He winced slightly as the sting spread across his skin like a burn and he went to remove his hand but she held it firmly in place.

"I warned you about those getting old comments. You should just count yourself lucky that I'm not so good at aiming behind my back, otherwise that sting would have been covering your whole body and not just your hand."

Although she chastised him for his 'too old' comment, she soon began backing towards the outskirts of the circular room, stopping when they reached the edge and motioning for Remus to sit. He followed her instructions and his back slid down the stone wall until he was sitting on the cold ground again, feet flat on the floor, knee's just out from his chest. Tonks slid down with him and 

settled herself gently between his legs, pushing his knees out lower as she went until they were both comfortable with their new seating arrangement.

When she was finally seated, her body gently fell back against Remus' chest, her head nestling just below his chin. He rested his chin on the top of her head and propped his elbows up on his knees, both hand coming to rest on her belly, smiles flitting across both their faces at how comfortable they felt in each other's arms. He couldn't help himself as he dipped his head lower to inhale the sweet smell of her hair, wolfberry – had she been using his shampoo.

**-/ Hmm – I might just give you a massage later to relax your aching back muscles/-**

Remus was so lost in his own musings that he responded to her without thinking.

"You know I really wouldn't object to a massage later."

Quickly, she sat up straighter and turned slightly in his arms to look at him, a bemused expression flitting across her face as she stared. It was then that Remus realised that she hadn't actually spoken out loud and he fought the blush that tinged his cheeks, he couldn't believe it had happened again and this time there was no Firewhiskey to use as an excuse. He stuttered slightly and tried to find a way to explain but Tonks merely turned back around and rested against his chest again, a mischievous twinkle lighting her eyes.

"Maybe if you're lucky."

**-/Right - this is strictly professional my .../-**

-RLNT-

The masked man never did return but they stayed sitting wrapped up like that until Bill Weasley and Hestia Jones came to relieve them at midnight. Initially they sat up rigid upon hearing the footsteps in the hall outside, sure that the intruder was back again. It certainly didn't feel like 6 hours had passed already and although he'd never admit, he wasn't ready to let go of her just yet.

He felt her relax against him as their relievers stepped into the spinning circular room, leaving the door open so that they'd know the way out. He watched as Bill lit his wand with a quiet 'Lumos' and moved his wand around the room and Remus knew that their time was up. He reluctantly reached a hand out to grasp the silky material of the cloak and slid it away from them both, letting it pool on the floor beside them.

**-/Time's up/-**

**-/Oooh, talk about interrupting. Now why don't I ever get this shift with Sturgy so we could do.../-**

Remus' face blushed a little at Hestia's racy thoughts, the woman really did have a one-track mind. He put his palms flat against the stone wall and pushed himself up to a standing position behind Tonks. He brushed the dirt on his hands off on his trousers before offering his hand to Tonks. As he helped her to her feet as well he noticed that Bill was watching them both suspiciously, one of his ginger eyebrows arched high on his forehead in a questioning look, a curious smirk on his handsome 

face. Remus ignored the knowing look of his young friend and instead bent down to pick the silky cloak up from the floor, clearing his throat loudly as he stood up straight, trying to find the right words to explain why they were basically cuddling together on the ground.

"Someone came down here earlier tonight and we both stood under the cloak so we wouldn't be seen. Whoever it was, was wearing dark robes and a hooded mask so we couldn't get an ID, but they looked around the room and then headed back out."

The grin on Bill's face stretched wider and his other eyebrow rose to complete the sceptical look.

"So if it happened earlier than uh, why were you still under the cloak then."

**-/Why do all Weasley boys have a one track mind?/-**

Remus quietly thought that Tonks would be horrified if she knew that Hestia and possibly Minerva McGonagall and Emmeline Vance should be added to that list also. He fought the urge to grin as he thought of her reaction and he was just about to answer Bill when Tonks beat him to it.

"Well he left the door ajar so we thought that it might be a trick, that he might disillusion himself and then come back. We didn't want to expose ourselves or the Order so we thought the best idea was to stay under the cloak. And then Remus back got sore so we sat down."

The smile disappeared from Bill's face in light of the simple, yet plausible explanation, and he shook his head lightly in acknowledgement.

**-/Well then perhaps we should too/-**

Remus wasn't exactly sure what Hestia's thoughts meant until she walked forward and took the invisibility cloak out of his hands. Turning slightly and shooting a devious smile, and a curt wink, in Bill's direction.

**-/What Sturgis doesn't know, won't hurt him/-**

Remus let out a bark of laughter as Bill's eyes widened at Hestia's insinuation. He watched the oldest Weasley boy shoot him and Tonks a filthy look that clearly stated that he was not amused at the situation before he turned his wand on himself. He must have cast a disillusionment charm because soon they couldn't see him at all, could barely even make out the blurry outline of the tall boy, but they could hear his boisterous laughter.

"You're an Auror and you're a bloody professor and you didn't think to cast a disillusionment charm yourself."

Before Remus could even formulate a response, because they really should have thought of that, Tonks had grabbed his hand and practically ran out of the room, Bill and Hestia's laughs echoing behind them. When they'd reached the corridor beyond the room, Tonks sent him a quick smile before she dropped his hand and disapparated. Even though she was gone he could still the warmth of her hand in his, he could still feel the tingles he felt when she'd first grabbed his hand. With a smile on his face, he disapparated as well.

-RLNT-

They both arrived back at Grimmauld Place seconds later, loud pops that sounded like whip cracks disrupting the silence and announcing their arrival. Normally their apparition hardly made a noise but they were both too tired to concentrate on lessening the sound, Tonks because she'd just worked almost 15 hours straight and Remus because of the impending moon.

**-/ Sweet Merlin, why must everybody apparate in this house. Has no-one ever heard of a door?/-**

Remus looked up from where he was standing and was greeted with the sight of an angry Molly Weasley. Her arms where crossed across her chest and a stern look was on the Wealey matriarch's tired face but when he smiled weakly and muttered a quiet apology, her angry look affronted look faltered.

"That's alright dear, you both look dead on your feet. There's some dinner under the warmer in the kitchen, then you both might want to head up to bed toot sweet."

She smiled at them both, lightly grasping Remus' arm and patting Tonks' cheek before she bustled past them and up the stairs. Remus was just about to head down to the kitchen with Tonks when he heard Molly call him back.

**-/Almost forgot/-**

"Oh Remus dear, Albus is upstairs waiting for you. Said he wanted to speak to you as soon as you got in."

"Thank-you Molly."

Remus nodded his head in acknowledgement and Molly continued her way up stairs. He watched her for a second, wondering what on earth Dumbledore wanted to discuss at this hour, before he turned back to Tonks, loving the disappointed look that he saw on her face.

**-/Guess we won't be eating together than/-**

"Guess we won't get to eat together than."

Remus gave her a small smile, mostly because she spoke her thoughts, but he was actually a little disheartened as well, he'd been looking forward to a late meal with her.

"I guess not, never know how long I'll be."

"I'll save you some then."

He watched as she gave him a sad little smile before moving to lean against the wall, only she wasn't as close to it as she thought she was. She crossed her legs and went to lean and then stumbled a little when she realised that there was nothing solid to hold her up. He put his hands out instinctively to help her but she waved him off, muttering a quiet 'I'm fine' as she blushed yet again.

**-/Way to look cool Tonks, he's going to think I'm a complete retard – way to seal the deal/-**

When she'd finally stabilised herself she looked up and shot him a sheepish grin and let out a nervous giggle.

"Well I had fun tonight, even if it was guard duty."

"Me too"

Her sheepish grin turned into a full-blown smile as he spoke the words and he couldn't help but grin like a fool as well.

"Well, erm...," she looked all geared up to say something but then her face fell, "night Remus."

With that she brushed past him and started walking down the hall towards the basement kitchen. He shook his head slightly in disbelief at himself as he started towards the stairs, Sirius was going to kill him. He had the opportunity right there, they'd had a great night and he already knew that she liked him – she'd been dropping hints all night, all he had to do was ask her out. He scrubbed his hand roughly over his face before running it through his hair and starting up the stairs only stopping when he heard Tonks' voice again.

**-/ How could I not say it, I set it up and everything. All I had to say was – 'Maybe we should do it again sometime'. Just seven little words, it's really not that hard to say. It's just a date, the worst he can say is no right? I can do this, I'm an Auror for Merlin's sake - I can do this/-**

"Remus - "

* * *

AND THE PLOT THICKENS – will Tonks work up the courage to ask Remus out, how did Bill go at fending off Hestia's obvious advances and what on earth does Dumbledore want? Guess you'll have to find out in the next chapter. Mwa-ha-ha-ha-(cough)(cough)

Ok, just a few things – absolutely no idea what Wolfberry is but yes it is a real world. I typed wildberry into WORD and it came up with 2 spelling corrections – wild berry and wolfberry. So I went with wolfberry because I thought it was cute and it kinda fit.

Toot Sweet means quickly, I think. I heard it on an episode of Kath and Kim (Australian TV show, wicked funny). Anywhoo, Kath reminds me a lil of Molly Weasley so I put it in. It think that's all I had to say.

**HATE IT/LOVE IT** – leave a review. Even if it's just a one-word review, I just like knowing that people are actually reading my story (although I do love long reviews, wink Jord wink.) PLEASE REVIEW

Til I update next

HUGZ N KISSES

EllaQueenB


	5. Disturbing Discoveries

Heya guys,

OMG let me first say that I'm soooooo sorry that I haven't updated this story in forever (I actually checked the other day and it's been like 2 months, can you believe it?) Anywayz I really did have the worst writers block ever with this chapter and when you combine that with the fact that I've had very lil time than you'll kind of get why I haven't updated :( SORRY :(

MOVING ON... I was confined to bedrest this week, because of like the worst flu ever, so when I was feeling utterly pathetic, I managed to churn this chappy out. So after re-writing this like a million times it's finally finished. I decided that I wanted the story to actually have a purpose (which it didn't when I started it) so that's sort of what this chapter's setting up. I'm not sure if it's good, I kinda lost my Tonks for a while, but I hope you like. (Please don't hate me if you don't)

As always thanks muchly to all the people who read the last chappy and giant squeezy hugz to those kind enough to leave a review. So **ZemISHly, Copperboombaby8, Linxcat, kk1189, binesab, ILoveDoctorMcDreamy** (btw me too),** pet-munchkin** (Jord I finally finished it), **PhoenixDreamer55, vampiratelycan, ivonne910** (I don't know if you got my email but I had your review translated, thanks muchly), **Burp, heyyodude, lady herenya, EragonandArya, krynn, ClashChick, RLNTrules, Flo M Nimo, Dark Duchess and Shadow Queen, angie, x.o.gossipgirl.x.o** (love that show), **CrystalClearElphaba444, Death's-Razor-Blade, Harri B, PurpleFairie, Marauders Mischief and Trouble, Christina Angel, TeddyOlivia, X.xBlack Skull PunkX.x and Owl Emporium** here's to ya.

This one's dedicated to my reviewers who I didn't get around to replying to (soooo sorry, I lost track) and to all those who kept sending me little msg's begging me to update (made me feel sooo special).

RECAP (Cos it's been soooo long) :-

Tonks and Remus had just returned to Grimmauld Place after a steamy guard duty shift. They were just about to head down for a late supper when Molly announced that Dumbledore was waiting to speak to Remus. Tonks was all geared up to ask Remus on a date but chickened out and headed down the hall before turning back and calling his name...

* * *

**Disturbing Discoveries**

"Remus.."

Unsure of whether he'd actually heard her call his name out loud or if she'd simply been saying it in her head, he turned cautiously on the rickety staircase, trying desperately to look nonchalant but failing miserably. He wanted to play it cool, after all he wasn't supposed to know that she was waging a war with herself in her head about the possibility of dating him and he definitely didn't want her to know that he was slightly terrified about the prospect of it as well, but his body had other ideas. The swarm of butterflies that had been sitting idly in his stomach since they returned from duty suddenly fluttered to life again when he turned to face her, finding her with a nervous yet determined look on her pretty heart-shaped face.

**-/ C'mon Tonks, if you could get through Auror training then you can most definitely do this/-**

She was standing a little away from the base of the stairs in the darkened hallway, shifting nervously from one foot to the other as she desperately fought for the courage to speak aloud the words that were in her head. He couldn't fight the goofy grin that spread across his face as he watched her sway back and forth, still somewhat amazed that the confident, vivacious young woman he'd come to know could be so timid and unsure around him. He chuckled silently at how ridiculously childish they were both being and running a hand roughly through his hair, he ducked his head shyly before finally meeting her gaze.

"Yes, Nymphadora?"

**-/Merlin, why is this so hard/-**

He watched on in amazement as her hair slowly changed colour from a dull pink to bright rouge, seemingly without her knowledge. He tried to reassure her with a smile as he silently urged her to continue but it had the opposite effect and she quickly looked away, her eyes darting rapidly around the room as though looking for an escape.

**-/I can't do this, I can't/-**

For a second Remus was worried that she might actually run away, or perhaps spontaneously combust from all the pressure she was putting on herself, but just when it looked like a hopeless case, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Well I was just, erm... well I was thinking that, uh..."

The words came out almost incoherent and rushed and she was halfway through her proposal when she found the courage to look up. She caught his eye and suddenly the words just caught in her throat, her mouth opening and closing several times to no avail. For a split second Remus glimpsed the fear in her eyes before she closed them again and looked away from him, a slight blush snaking its way up her neck and tinging her cheeks. She let out a soft sigh as she stared intently at the worn, dirty carpet, her shoulders slumping in a defeated manner.

"Nevermind"

It was only one word, spoken so softly that Remus was sure he'd imagined it, but it was dripping with disdain and shrouded in contempt. He watched on silently as she turned on her heel and started walking back down the corridor towards the kitchen, shaking her head in disbelief at herself.

**-/Bloody coward/-**

As he watched her small frame disappear into the darkness of the hallway, he couldn't help but feel partly responsible for the crushed look that had downtrodden her normally cheerful facade. She'd made her feelings for him abundantly clear since she'd met him and being able to hear her thoughts in the last 48 hours had only confirmed what she'd already made painfully obvious. She liked him and whilst he may have been too blind, or too self-depreciating, to see her feelings in the beginning, he already knew how he felt about her. So really he should have geared up the courage to ask her out himself a long time ago, she should never have been put in such a vulnerable position like that.

He hesitated for just a moment on the stairs, still somewhat unsure about whether he wanted to start something that ultimately he could never finish, but hope for a better future won out in the end and so pushed the negative thoughts to the back of his mind and fled down the rest of the stairs.

"Nymphadora, wait!"

He called her name loudly as he reached out tentatively and caught her shoulder, gently spinning her round to face him as he prayed that his voice hadn't been boisterous enough to wake Mrs Black, he honestly didn't think Molly would forgive him for disturbing her two times in one night. A mixture of shock, curiosity and strangely annoyance flitted across Tonks face as she was turned to face him.

**-/What, what could you possibly want. I know I'm a coward, you don't have to come and rub my nose in it. You probably would have knocked me back anyway, as if I could ever be enough for you/-**

Remus stood there watching her with a blank look on his face, wondering how on earth she could think she wasn't good enough for him when it was clearly the other way around. His hand was still lightly resting on her shoulder and he opened his mouth to speak but the well-thought out words that had been on the tip of his tongue suddenly got caught in his throat and it was his turn to look foolish. It was amazing that an intelligent man, a Professor no less, who was usually well-spoken could be reduced to an inarticulate fool in the presence of one Nymphadora Tonks. He quite honestly couldn't believe it, he'd always been able to talk himself out of a situation, it was one of the things he'd always prided himself on, and yet when he needed them the most, words failed him.

He dropped his hand from her shoulder, letting it lightly trail down her arm before drawing it back to his side as he cleared his throat, suddenly realising how she must have felt only moments earlier, running away seemed the smarter option. It was funny how something that had seemed entirely possible only minutes previously, could seem completely unattainable now, even knowing that it was what she wanted didn't make the situation any easier. As he stood in front of her he felt completely inferior. Nevertheless he gathered his courage, opened his mouth and was about to try again when –

"LUPIN"

The loud gruff voice of Alastor Moody resounded down the stairs and boomed through the hallways, instantly making the duo jump apart like guilty teenagers caught snogging behind the statue of Hortecuse the Great. Remus was the first to recover from the abrupt interruption and he turned to face the grumpy man standing at the top of the winding staircase looking down on them disapprovingly. His fake leg was thumping impatiently against the floor as his 'mad-eye' whirled around crazily, somehow enhancing his grouchy face to match his unpleasant mood.

He didn't know whether it was the terrifying looks Moody was shooting them or the abashed look on Tonks face but Remus suddenly got the distinct impression that he should be afraid for some reason. After all Tonks' was Moody's protégé, he'd taken the awkward young girl under his wing right after she'd started in the Auror program, and more than once he'd observed the almost father-daughter like banter between the pair. So he knew it wouldn't be completely absurd to feel a little afraid and if it wasn't for the hint of a smile on the older man's thin, scarred lips then he probably would have.

"Geez Mad-Eye, trying to scare me to death are you?"

**-/Or just trying to keep me from getting laid. Why is it that he always seems to be around at opportunistic moments? Worse than my dad that one/-**

Remus merely stood stock still with his mouth slightly agape, his face reddening slightly, as he listened in on Nymphadora's crude inner tirade, to say he was shocked would be a complete and total understatement. Now he wasn't utterly daft, he certainly knew by now that Tonks wanted some sort of relationship with him, he just never actually thought that she'd want a physical one. It wasn't because he hadn't thought about it, he had almost every day since they'd met, and it wasn't because he was inexperienced, far from it in fact, it was just that most women didn't want anything like that once they knew about his condition. Most women ran full speed in the opposite direction and the only ones that stuck around were the freaks with a rebellious side or the nutters with a penchant for kinky sex, either way they always left disappointed in the morning when he'd failed to live up to their expectations.

**-/Seriously just because you're not getting any Moody doesn't mean you should ruin the chances for everyone/-**

Tonks lewd thoughts were interrupted when Moody's gruff voice trailed down again.

"What do I keep telling you about constant vigilance girl?"

**-/Well maybe it'd be easier to be constantly vigilant if I had a crazy eye that it was programmed into. Uh on second thoughts... no/-**

Remus tried not to laugh at her snide thoughts as he felt Moody's magical eye trained on him, scrutinising him closely.

"Now I came down here to hurry you up Lupin, Dumbledore doesn't have all night to wait while the two of you fraternize."

**-/Great, just great Mad-Eye. Guess we won't be 'fraternising' anytime soon again... remind me I owe you one Moody /-**

Remus turned back towards her at the sound of her sarcastic comments, discerning from Moody's lack of reaction that she hadn't spoken her words aloud. When he caught a glimpse of her face, bathed in the soft glow of candle light, he could've sworn he saw a sad little look but when she noticed he was watching her she brightened and offered him a small smile. And when she rolled her eyes in a juvenile manner, he couldn't help but smile too.

"I guess you'd better go, wouldn't want to keep grumpy waiting."

Remus nodded his head in assent, agreeing with her completely but still somewhat unable, or maybe just unwilling, to break eye-contact, to ruin this connection he was sure she must be able to feel too. As if noticing his reluctance to leave, Moody's boisterous voice boomed through the hallways again.

"Hurry up lad, you can chat her up later. I'm sure she'll still be here."

Remus groaned in frustration as he scrubbed a hand roughly over his face, finally dropping her gaze as he shook his head in disbelief at the old man's tact, or lack thereof. Tonks merely let out a light breath of laughter as she leaned in closer towards him, her breath blowing tantalisingly close to his cheek.

"Don't worry, I'll save you some."

She whispered the words sweetly in his ear before she pulled back with a cheeky grin on her face, obviously impressed that her words seemed to have had an effect on him. His eyes had widened, his jaw had dropped and he just couldn't help the smile the engulfed his face as she winked seductively before turning and walking back down the hall towards the stairs that led to the basement kitchen.

**-/Don't look back. Don't look back. Don't look back./-**

Moody was making his impatience known as Remus stood in place, watching intently as Nymphadora sashayed down the corridor. He knew that he was keeping Dumbledore waiting but he just couldn't tear himself away from the seductive view in front of him. So instead he stood there with a dumbstruck look upon his face, immensely enjoying the fact that her hips seemed to be swaying a lot more than they normally did.

He chuckled softly to himself when, despite her obvious thoughts to the contrary, she turned her head slightly in his direction. She offered him a coy smile before turning back around, shaking her head at her own lack of self-discipline.

**-/DAMN, that would have been so good if I didn't look back/-**

When her lithe form had disappeared from view entirely, he turned and headed up the rickety staircase towards the less appealing site of an aggravated Alastor Moody, wondering all the way what exactly she was going to save for him.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

The mood in Grimmauld place was always cold and unsettling but when Remus entered the room where Dumbledore was waiting he felt an unbridled sense of trepidation rush over him. Moody had led him to the first-floor library and shoved him roughly through the door, seemingly oblivious to the current occupants of the room who continued on without looking up. The usually bright room had been plunged into darkness, the only source of light coming from a bright burning candle placed atop a desk that Remus had never seen before, behind which sat an all too familiar figure.

Albus Dumbledore sat directly in front of where Remus stood, behind the newly transfigured mahogany antique desk, writing vigorously on a piece of paper. The scratching sound of quill on parchment was the only noise in the eerily silent room and it did nothing to alleviate the sense of forebode that had settled around him. Unsure of whether to make his presence known, he turned silently back towards the entrance, shooting a questioning look at Moody who merely shrugged and closed the door loudly.

"Please take a seat Remus, I'll be with you in a moment."

He snapped his attention back to the front only to find that nothing had changed, Dumbledore still seemed blissfully ignorant of his arrival and continued to work feverishly behind his desk. Nevertheless, Remus took a seat in the sturdy armchair that had magically appeared beside him, suddenly reminded of his time spent in a similar environment at Hogwarts, nervously waiting in front of the same desk in the Headmaster's office.

A rustling sound to his right caught his attention and he turned to see Sirius draped sullenly over the settee nearest to the fireplace, an unhappy look shadowed across his already dark face. Remus was about to question his old friend about his flailing attitude but he was disrupted by the sudden silence that engulfed the room. He turned back towards Dumbledore just in time to see the parchments that had littered his desk, suddenly fold upon themselves and disappear with a pop.

"Remus, it's good to see you looking well."

He looked up from the now empty desk at the sound of the familiar husky voice to find his ex-headmaster watching him intently, a small smile on his face, his eyes twinkling slightly in the candle light.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Professor."

Dumbledore's smile widened as he picked up his wand and lazily flicked it causing all the candles in the room to suddenly flame, immersing the library in a bright, warm glow.

"It's quite all right Remus, we must take what moments we get in these uncertain times."

Remus blushed slightly under the older man's unwavering gaze, a little disconcerted by the knowing smile he was receiving.

"I trust guard duty went well, I believe you were on with Nymphadora tonight."

"Yes it went well, although we did have an unexpected visitor."

Dumbledore shifted in his chair, suddenly seeming much more interested in the conversation.

"A visitor, did he see you?"

Remus shifted nervously in his chair, noting the edginess in his mentor's always calm voice.

"I don't believe so. Nymphadora and I heard him coming so we had enough time to hide beneath an invisibility cloak. He only opened the door for a moment and then he was gone."

Dumbledore stroked his long white beard curiously, rolling the thready hairs between his fingers as he contemplated facts unknown.

"He's the first visitor to be seen but he will not be the last. It's important to be careful down in that room Remus, they will come more frequently now, trying to catch us off guard. Tom is growing restless and his impatience will undoubtedly cost lives, rest assured he does not care if it is the blood of his own fighters that is spilled, he wants answers. We must protect the prophecy, but you of course know that."

He offered a warm smile in Remus' direction, a knowing look in his glistening eyes.

"I understand the value of the prophecy Professor. But if Voldemort has not yet heard it, wouldn't it be wiser to show Harry and then destroy the orb, lessen all chances."

"Rest assured Remus, Harry will hear the prophecy in time, but not yet. You know the contents of it, Harry's not ready for that yet. Knowledge is not always power my friend."

Remus nodded his head in assent but deep down guilt gnawed at his insides. James and Lily had told him about the prophecy long ago, they went into hiding because they never meant for that to become Harry's destiny, for that to be his responsibility. But it was now and Remus felt guilty for keeping it from him but he trusted Dumbledore implicitly and so he let the subject drop once again.

"Sirius has just been telling me that you've become acquainted with the Weasley twins fascinating range of sweets. Brilliant minds those boys, if only they would put as much effort into their studies."

Dumbledore beamed in amusement as Remus blushed slightly, turning to scowl at his guilty friend who was still lounging in the settee. Sirius merely shrugged his shoulders before slumping back into the chair, at least having the decency to look as though he regretted his form of 'research'.

"Don't be embarrassed Remus, I for one commend your courage. I've never been brave enough to willing try one of their sweet's."

"I wouldn't call it willing Professor, I was goaded into it."

"Sirius told me that, he also told me about a rather curious side-effect you've been experiencing. Is it true you hear people's thoughts?"

Remus shifted in his seat, uncomfortable that such a personal thing that he'd tried to keep private was suddenly being cast into the spotlight.

"You're right about the twins Professor, they do have great minds but unfortunately they lack the tenacity to follow through," he paused when Dumbledore gave him a questioning look, "The spell was pig-latin for 'Read Women's Thoughts".

"Ah yes, Pig Latin. An old form of magic that's now become a play language for muggle children but still powerful no less. I have heard of the spell before though, I believe there's a book in the library about it."

Remus seemed to brighten somewhat at this.

"Then you'll know how to reverse it. I've been waiting for it to wear off but it doesn't seem to be doing so."

Dumbledore inclined his head.

"A counter potion has to be brewed and then your newfound gift will disappear entirely," Remus let out an audible sigh of relief, "but it will take a month to mature."

Remus' face fell into a look of despair but Dumbledore simply smiled at his downhearted friend.

"Worry not Remus, I have Severus working on the potion as we speak."

Remus knew he should be relieved, after all Dumbledore had said that his condition was reversible, but he couldn't help but feel apprehensive about leaving his fate in the hands of someone that clearly didn't like him. Severus and Remus had never been what one would consider friends and even though they were comrades now it was clear that Severus still held a grudge. He began to feel even more uncomfortable about the situation when he heard Sirius grumbling, 'I'd be more worried since old Snivellus is brewing the potion.'

"I assure you Remus, the potion will be fine."

Dumbledore gave a stern glare in the direction of the fireplace and Sirius stopped his grumbling immediately.

"In the meantime, I have a task that will greatly benefit from this new found talent of yours."

Remus straightened up in his chair immediately, casting all thoughts about Snape and misbrewed potions from his mind. He knew that any mission undertaken as part of the Order of the Phoenix was bound to be dangerous but the comforting look Dumbledore gave him made him calm somewhat. In the end though it didn't matter if the mission was dangerous, he knew that he'd take it anyway, he had to do his part. He nodded his head for Dumbledore to continue.

"It seems we have a spy is our midst. Somehow information from the Order is being leaked to the Deatheaters."

Remus looked at the older man strangely, a bemused expression on his face.

"I don't understand what this has to do with..."

Dumbledore cut him off.

"Several people within the Order have expressed concern about Nymphadora being the one conspiring with the Death Eaters."

The twinkle in the old man's eyes dimmed slightly and an almost sad expression flitted over his tired face as Remus tried to see where this mistrust would come from. He could understand people mistrusting him, he didn't much like it but he could see it, or even mistrusting Sirius or Severus but Tonks was an Auror, her job was fight evil-doers, not help them.

"But she's an Auror, why would anybody think..."

Dumbledore held a hand up to silence him.

"You're thinking down the wrong path Remus. It has less to do with her job and more to do with a unique talent that she possesses."

"People doubt her because she's a Metamorphmagus?"

Remus scrubbed a hand roughly through his hair as confusion filled his eyes yet again. He didn't understand. Tonks was a metamorphmagus, it was a gift, it was who she was, they should be lucky that she was on their side, not second guessing her loyalty.

"Nymphadora's talent is a blessing, unlike the affliction that you suffer Remus, but do not mistake it, she is still a shape-shifter and Metamorphagi, like werewolves, have always been the bearers of harsh scrutiny, warranted or not. We don't see it as much these days because the trait is so rare but there will always be those that find fault in those who are different."

Remus screwed up his nose at the ridiculous notion of Tonk's gift being compared to his curse when a sudden outburst caught his attention.

"That's a crock and you know it. It's not because she's a Metamorphmagus, it's because of the blood that runs in her veins. Everyone knows you can't trust a Black right."

He quickly spun to his right to find Sirius sitting up straight on the settee, suddenly interested in a conversation he looked like he'd been trying to ignore. The sullen, unhappy look was still on his face but there was a passionate fire in his usually dull eyes that made him almost unrecognisable. There was a tiny glimmer, deep inside, of the old Sirius.

"Maybe you should look at Snape if you're looking for a culprit."

He spat the words venomously and gave a cold stare at the older man before him.

"Severus is telling Tom only what he needs to. I trust him implicitly to do so."

At this point Moody pushed off from the door and walked towards them, his wooden leg thumping heavily on the worn carpet, and joined the conversation that seemed to be lost around Remus.

"The same way I trust Tonks. I'm telling you, that lass's no more a Death Eater than I am, and I'd stake my reputation on that."

Dumbledore sighed loudly and held up his hands as if in surrender, speaking calmly as he addressed the discontented man before him.

"I'm not disagreeing with you Alastor, I don't believe Nymphadora is the spy either. But our opinions do little to prove her innocence in the eyes of others. We must quell the concerns of the Order if we hope to succeed this time, there's too much at stake to let it be torn apart by suspicion and mistrust."

He looked from Remus to Sirius and shook his head slowly.

"We can't afford to let what happened last time, happen again."

He didn't directly mention the incident that had torn the Order apart last time but they all knew the one to which he was referring and Remus felt a sudden weight in the pit of his stomach. It was a sensation he'd become familiar with, it was the sensation of guilt and he'd felt it ever since Peter had caused that incident so many years ago. The original Order had been torn apart because Peter had managed to caused distrust between the Marauders and it eventually led to an end, Remus knew Dumbledore was right, they couldn't let that happen again. He would do whatever was necessary this time round, even if it meant spying on a friend, something he should have had the courage to do last time.

"Remus, you're one of the few I trust to complete this task efficiently and discretely. I want you to get closer to Miss Tonks, to ensure for certain that she is not the one leaking Order secrets."

Remus looked uncomfortable with the situation he found himself in but Dumbledore smiled warmly in his direction.

"I appreciate that this will be difficult for you Remus, but understand that this is best way to clear her name. If I can stand before those that doubt her and say that the issue has been dealt with, that I know for certain she's not the one, then any notion of her integrity will be put to rest for good."

Remus nodded his head in acceptance of the mission before he bowed it down, suddenly becoming interested in his fingernails if only because he couldn't look his mentor in the eye. He knew that it was something he had to do, but he had an intense feeling in the pit of his stomach that this was the wrong way to go about it. They were trying to inspire trust within the Order but he failed to see how they were going to accomplish that when they were spying on one of their own. He looked back up when he heard Dumbledore's mellow voice.

"Good, good. There will be a task set up for you," he pulled out his pocket watch and stared at it for a moment, "tonight. I want you to inform Nymphadora that out of fear of imminent attack on the Dursley's, we've moved them all to a safe haven for a while and you will be standing guard to make sure nothing happens. Death Eaters wouldn't pass up an opportunity to get at Harry without the protection of Hogwarts or his Aunt's place and if they show up there, well we'll know."

Remus nodded his head again but inside the guilt was growing.

"Now I really must be off. I know this is hard for you Remus, you've never been one to be dishonest but this will help in the end."

And with that he disappeared from the room in a clouded puff of smoke, leaving Remus standing there stunned and feeling more than a little overwhelmed under his new circumstances. He heard Sirius start grumbling again to his right and he filled with anger even though logically he knew that it wasn't really his fault. He turned towards the settee to find Sirius staring off into the distance, he was seething as well.

"I must commend you on your 'research' Sirius."

Sirius snapped out of his daze to look up at his old friend, an apologetic look on his face.

"No need for sarcasm Moony, I'm sorry alright. I was going to look in the books for the spell but then Dumbledore was here and I thought, well, he'd know. I thought he'd be able to help, obviously I was wrong."

Remus let out a loud sigh as he got out of his chair which magically disappeared the moment he stood. He knew it wasn't really Sirius' fault, he was just being... well Sirius, he was being lazy and taking the easy way out.

"It's not your fault Sirius."

Remus walked over towards Sirius and took a seat beside him on the settee, staring into the fire as he tried to figure out how he was going to spy on Tonks. Sirius turned to him.

"Maybe we should just tell her, you know. Let her know what people are thinking."

"But Dumbledore,"

"Who cares what Dumbledore said, she has a right to know Moony."

Remus noticed the desperation in his old friends voice and turned to look at him, surprised by the steely determination he found. For the first time in a long time he actually agreed with a 'Sirius' plan and he was about to cave in, after all she did have a right to know, but Moody stepped in.

"Calm down lads, I know you think you're doing the right thing but in the end, it'd just hurt her more than it'd help. I think we just have to keep it quiet, do this task and it'll be over. I don't like the idea of spying on one of our own any better than you do but we all know she's not guilty and this'll just prove it to everyone else as well."

Sirius looked cautiously at the older man before turning back and staring sullenly into the fireplace, muttering 'whatever' although he clearly didn't agree. Meanwhile Remus' stomach grumbled loudly, reminding him unsubtly that he'd yet to eat.

"I'm going to get some supper."

He got up out of the chair and with a light squeeze of Sirius' shoulder, he walked past Moody and out of the library. As he was walking down the stairs he was still in a mild state of disbelief about the situation he'd landed himself in, or maybe it was just denial. It was amazing how fast things could change, just 20 minutes ago he was trying to gather up the courage to ask Tonks out and now he was silently hoping that she wouldn't still be up so he wouldn't have to face her yet. But as he neared the door that led to the kitchen and saw the light filtering out from beneath it, he knew he wasn't so lucky.

He reached forward and gently pushed the door open to find Tonks sitting at the table, leaning heavily on her hand as her head fell dangerously low towards her half empty plate in front of her. Her eyelids were drooping heavily and she looked as though she was half-asleep but she was immediately alert when he entered the room fully, a smile suddenly evident on her sleepy face.

"How did it go?"

Her voice was groggy with sleep and he didn't know whether it was seeing that she genuinely cared how it went or knowing that she waited up for him even though she was dead tired but he couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that consumed him. Nevertheless he walked towards the table where she sat and took a seat across from her, only once wincing slightly as she tried to levitate his supper across to him.

"Thanks," he snatched the plate out of the air before it crashed to the table, "it went fine. Dumbledore just wanted to give me another mission for tonight."

She listened intently as he spoke even though her eyes were drooping but he knew that sleep wasn't the only reason that the smile was slowly slipping off her face. He didn't even need to hear her thoughts to know that she was disappointed.

**-/Of course he gets given more missions, nobody thinks he's clumsy/-**

Remus shuffled his food around his plate, suddenly he wasn't feeling hungry anymore. Here Tonks was thinking that she wasn't getting missions because she was a klutz when the reality was so much worse. He set down his fork and took a deep breath, gearing himself up to do something that he didn't really want to.

"Actually I was wondering if maybe you'd like to come along and help? It's just surveillance really, nothing glamorous, but if you wanted to come and your busy."

It was surprising how easily the words to ask her on a made-up mission seemed to flow out of his mouth this time, compared to his shambled attempt at asking her on actual date earlier. Maybe it was because this time he was hoping that her answer would be no but when he saw the bright smile return to her face, he knew that wasn't going to be the case.

**-/Now is he asking me to help out because he needs help or just because he wants to spend time with me. Not like it matters anyway, as if I'm going to say no... but it's cute how nervous he looks/-**

The knot in his stomach grew bigger and bigger as he listened to the exciting voice in her head, he didn't even want to think about how much it'd hurt her if she ever found out the real reason he was asking. Although he was glad that she was picking up on his nervousness instead of the guilt.

"No, I mean yeah... I mean no, I'm not busy and yeah I'd like to come."

**-/Way to act cool Tonks/-**

At that moment, when she looked up at him and gave the biggest smile even though her cheeks were tinged with embarrassment at her verbal clumsiness, he didn't know who he hated more. Dumbledore for making him do this, the bigots in the Order for not trusting one of their own... or himself for even agreeing to spy on her in the first place.

"What sort of surveillance are we doing?"

Her question caught him off guard and he was glad for the chance given to think about something other than his own self-loathing.

"Dumbledore's worried that some of the Death Eaters might try to attack Harry whilst he's staying with his relative's so he's moved them all somewhere safer for a couple of days so they can enhance the security. We just have to keep watch outside for the night for anything suspicious."

He'd practiced the explanation in his head as he'd walked down here but the words sounded foreign coming from his own mouth. It all sounded so rehearsed that he didn't believe it himself but she seemed to have brought it for she was nodding along in understanding, still beaming a full smile.

"Well do you want to meet here or at my flat after I'm finished work or..."

Remus was nodding his head along with her and for a moment he almost agreed to meet her at her flat, if only so he'd get the chance to see where she lived, but then he remembered the plan.

"Uh no," he started shaking his head, "I have some things to do in the area beforehand so it'll probably be easier if you just meet me there. It's 29 Jostle Lane, Pilmington. Say around 7?"

**-/Ok now he's just acting strange/-**

Tonks looked at him suspiciously, quirking her eyebrow at his outlandish behaviour, but before she had the chance to question him about the strange arrangement, the silence in the kitchen was broken by a loud crash coming from upstairs. Within seconds they both had their wands drawn and where racing out of the kitchen when Sirius' booming voice echoed throughout the corridors.

"WHY DON'T YOU STOP LURKING AROUND HERE TALKING TO MY BLASTED MOTHER AND GO AND DO SOMETHING USEFUL LIKE CLEAN THE TOILETS... WITH YOUR TONGUE."

They walked the rest of the way up the stairs, still somewhat curious as to what Kreacher had done to deserve such a verbal tongue-lashing when they stopped and tried not to burst out laughing at the scene before them. For they found Sirius, for the second time that day, sprawled out on the worn carpet of the entrance hall. Tonks was the first to break with Remus following soon after, both falling to the floor laughing whilst Sirius watched them with a heartily unamused expression on his face.

"Sirius please don't tell me the 'evil' umbrella stand tripped you again."

* * *

Ok so that's that chappy done, whaddya think?

Once again sorry to keep you hangin so long for an update but I'm happy to report that the next chapter is completely outlined and already half written so it should be up by the end of next week (fingers crossed).

**HATE IT/LOVE IT** (wanna rant because I'm a shocking updater) write me a review and tell me bout it. It will be muchly appreciated as I lay here in my bed feeling miserable... am I get your sympathy vote yet? LOL. PLEASE REVIEW THOUGH. (Jord that means you too, LOL, gosta earn you're badge back somehow. Meanwhile I'm going to check your new story out right now, can' wait :D)

HUGZ N KISSES

EllaQueenB

(BTW thanks goes to those who corrected me on the whole 'Toot Sweet' actually being 'Tout Suite' thing. I promise to go fix it when I get a chance.)


	6. An act of Betrayal PART 1

Heya Guys,

'flinches at the sound of loud booing' Ok I know I said I'd post within a week and believe it or not I'm late yet again but I swear this time it was almost not my fault. The insanely annoying flu that I had let up for a few days last week so it was decided I was well enough to go home for my brother's 21st, big mistake. It came back even worse than before and I was pretty much zonked out for most of it, giving me not time at all to write, therefore I missed the deadline completely.

But after a roadtrip, visits with my family, car-sickness, hospital stays and despite a rather pesky bump on the head I managed to finish. This took the better part of yesterday to write and whilst I don't particularly like it (it ended up nothing like how I planned) I decided to post it anyways because, well I promised you a chappy and I'm going away for 2 weeks and I didn't want to leave you guys hangin. I'm planning on revisiting it when I get back, just to make it a bit shorter but I've stared at it for hours and I don't know what to cut **(feedback on this would be great) **or what to change to make it flow right**.**

In spite of that, I just wanted to thank all the people who read the last chapter, double (((hugz))) for those that made me feel better with well-wishes and cheered me up with reviews. So **Harri B, vampiratelycan, crazedreader, heyyodude, PhoenixDreamer55, Death's-Razor-Blade, Owl Emporium, ZemISHly, mslupin21, EragonandArya, ChristinaAngel, ivonne910, Malachi, Kristal, (((pet-munchkin))), kk1189, The Savior of the Broken, p, ILoveDoctorMcDreamy, krynn, X.xBlack Skull PunkX.x and animegirl1o1... here's to ya.**

Dedicated to my fish Wimples who died on the weekend – RIP my little friend.

* * *

**Chapter 6 – An act of Betrayal (Part 1)**

The cool winds whipped forcefully through the trees that lined Jostle Lane, forcing leaves to fall onto the sidewalk and creating scenes more reminiscent of Autumn than Summer. Remus walked quickly along the leaf-littered streets, kicking at the torn foliage occasionally as the winds brushed around his legs, billowing his cloak out behind him. He crossed onto the footpath and kicked a rock that was lying dormant on the cement, watching it travel down the sidewalk and land with a clunk against an empty silver trashcan. As the rainclouds above his head swirled in angry formations, indicating the bad weather heading his way, the temperature around him suddenly plummeted and he instinctively looked towards the sky for the eerie creatures that usually caused it. That's when he felt it, a small, cold wet drop of liquid that landed on the bridge of his nose before running down the length of it and dripping off the end. He just stood still for a moment watching the fiercely changing clouds, listening to the roars of thunder that resounded from above, watching the bolts of lightning that lit up the starless sky, all the while contemplating what lay ahead that night.

Rain was forecast in the area for that evening and although he knew that he would most likely have to sit out in the wet he couldn't say that he minded. In all honesty he was actually slightly amused by the fitting weather - dark and stormy, just like his mood.

Like a beacon in the shadows the moon appeared between two passing dark clouds, compelling Remus to look away, a cold shiver making its way down his spine and forcing his skin break out in goose-bumps. It wasn't quite full yet but it still instilled fear in him, it still took his breath away, it still tied his stomach in knots as thoughts of his impending transformation filled his mind. Trying to forget the golden orb that shined brightly above him and all that it represented, he continued his way along the pavement towards Number 29, to where he would commit an act of betrayal on an unsuspecting Tonks.

He knew that he should have just apparated to the location in front of the house where he'd agreed to meet her, after all it wasn't exactly safe to walk alone at night in these uncertain times. But he also knew that doing that would've given him too much time alone to think and that was something that he was desperately trying to avoid doing because all day he'd been dwelling on what had been said at the breakfast table and quite frankly he was sick of reliving the scene. But despite his best efforts to the contrary, when the novelty of walking wore off he soon found himself drifting back to the events that unfolded that morning, putting him back in a dark mood as it all played out in his mind.

_**FLASHBACK**_

"And so I turned to him and I said, James that is Dragon dung!"

Sirius finished his joke with an energetic ending and a barking laugh, a jubilant expression flitting across his face when he saw that he'd gotten the reaction he was hoping for – everyone at the table was laughing, albeit for very different reasons. Tonks was giggling crazily because quite honestly the story of the first time James brought perfume for Lily was hilarious, especially when Sirius recounted the event, but Remus had heard the story countless times before and it was barely enough to bring a smile to his face now. However the image of the professional ministry attired, blue-haired Auror sitting across from him with pumpkin juice spurting out of her nose was more than enough to make him laugh out loud.

**-/ AH juice in nose... ow... but joke so funny... HA HA... got to stop laughing/-**

Despite her thoughts to the contrary, she continued laughing heartily, even as she was pinching the bridge of her nose, desperately trying to stop the juice from dripping out and staining the pristine white tablecloth.

**-/Ok seriously I've got to stop laughing, get it under control Tonks... juice coming out of your nose is not an attractive feature. C'mon breathe in... and out/- **

She started trying to breathe deeply in an attempt to stop laughing but just when she almost had it under control, she would crack up again in rapid spurts of infectious little giggles. As Remus watched on, he couldn't help but chuckle along softly with her every time she would fail and her cute routine would start up again but after several attempts she finally got it under control. Waving his hand in a circular motion he seemingly created a handkerchief out of thin air and reached an arm out to hand it to her.

**-/ NOTE TO SELF, never take a drink of liquid when Sirius starts a joke. It's just not right... and it really hurts./-**

"Thanks"

Her voice came out mumbled as she still had her palm flat against her nose to stop the juice, but her gratitude sparkled in her eyes and shone out through her smile, which was still present on her face despite the deep blush that had taken over. She reached across the table and accepted the hankie from his outstretched hand, wiping the remaining juice from her nose before dabbing at the mess she'd made on the table. He watched her closely as she tried to clean the white tablecloth, a small satisfied smile appearing on his lips when she scrubbed a little harder causing certain parts of her anatomy to jiggle along.

Sirius gruffly cleared his throat at the end of the table and Remus snapped out of his daze, embarrassment bubbling to the surface when he realised that Sirius had caught him ogling his cousin. He sat up in his chair straighter, lightly shaking his head at his juvenile actions, he didn't know what was going on with him but it seemed that he just couldn't control himself when in the presence of one Nymphadora Tonks. His actions had become so adolescent in recent days, at least he thought so, which was strange because he didn't even act like that when he _was_ an adolescent.

The sound of a barking laugh caught his attention again and he turned towards the sound to see Sirius sitting at the head of the table, a wide smile on his rugged face, a haughty look in his eyes. His old friend was leaning forward in his chair, his hand rubbing curiously along his jaw in a thought-provoking gesture, his eyebrows arching in a questioning look. He didn't need to say anything, Remus had known him long enough to know what that sceptical look meant, the unspoken question clearly lingering in the air between them – 'still just friends?'

After a short while of their makeshift, silent staring competition, Remus relinquished power, breaking eye-contact and staring down at the table, unable to handle the knowing smile and the arrogant 'I-Told-You-So' look on his old friends face this early in the morning. It was almost half-past six and even though they'd only gotten to bed a few hours beforehand, they'd both gotten up to have breakfast with Tonks before she left for work, a tradition they upheld whenever she stayed at Grimmauld Place. It had initially been a way for them to talk privately about information on their missions and share theories, which had become increasingly important when they Weasley children had come to stay, but it had evolved into something similar to their midnight congregations. It was chance to chat, to tell stories, to reminisce – it also gave Sirius a reason to get out of bed before mid-day which on this particular morning, Remus was regretting immeasurably.

**-/Can't even drink pumpkin juice now without making a mess of it, it's a wonder they're not pissing themselves laughing. Wait why aren't they laughing at me, it's not like Sirius to hold back... and why is it so damn quiet/-**

Remus snapped his head up to find that Tonks had given up on trying to remove the excess juice from the tablecloth and instead was looking back and forth between them both, her eyebrows knitted together in an adorable look of strange curiosity.

**-/Ok something's going on here... so what'd I miss/-**

She turned her head back towards him, a look of sheer confusion shining brightly in her eyes which were currently a strange dark green colour. When she'd arrived downstairs for breakfast this morning her eyes were brown but since then she'd been changing them periodically without a thought to it at all. He was beginning to wonder whether she knew that she was even doing it and quite frankly he wished that she would stop. Not that he didn't enjoy seeing all the different colours, he just much preferred the brown hues she very rarely sported, above all others he liked her natural colour best.

She shot him a questioning look, inclining her head slightly in the direction of Sirius, obviously still wondering why the once rambunctious table had turned so quiet. He could have answered her, could have told her that Sirius was quietly enjoying the fact that he'd been right all along but would most likely voice his jubilance later, he could've but he didn't. Instead he shrugged his shoulders as if not understanding what she wanted and took a bite of his toast, laughing quietly when he noticed her give out a slight huff of annoyance before picking up the hankie and scrubbing the table again.

He saw her face fall when she looked back to the table, her mind quickly shifting from sulking about not knowing the reason for the silence to something of much more importance, the insignificant orange mark that refused to be erased from the cloth.

**-/Why won't he just tell me what... argh... why won't this stupid stain come out/-**

She scrubbed harder for a few seconds before throwing the hankie away in annoyance, a defeated look apparent on her face when she looked up.

"Sorry Sirius but I reckon I've managed to stain yet another one of your tablecloths. Swear I need a bib when I eat here."

She managed to look completely guilty when Sirius broke out of his happy daze and turned to look at her, her frown deepening even worse when the smile slid off his face and he started silently fingering the fine lace motifs on the item in question.

"It was one of Mum's favourites, always went on and on about how it'd been handed down through generations of Black's, she actually fought with one of my aunt's to get it. I could never understand why she'd want someone else's tablecloth, why not just buy a new one."

He let out a small smile at this as he continued to trace the lace with his finger but when he reached the embedded Black family emblem, a haunted look took over his face, a signal Remus knew all too well, he was reliving painful old memories.

"I remember once when I was about 10 Regulus spilt marmalade on it and blamed it on me. She hexed me so bad that I couldn't sit down for a week. Swear she loved her 'precious' things more than she did me."

He stopped tracing the lace, instead running his hand along the silk-like material until it came to the jar of raspberry jam in front of him. He lifted his hand from the tablecloth and trailed his fingers along the label, wiping at the drops of condensation and allowing them trickle down the jar. A strange look of gratification flitted across his face when he flicked his wrist and sent the jam jar tumbling, red jelly spilling out and seeping into the once treasured possession.

"Oops."

With that he stood up abruptly from his chair, letting it teeter for a second on its hind legs as he grabbed his mug and headed over to the bench to make another batch of coffee.

**-/Must've sucked to be raised as a Black/-**

For a moment Remus watched the look of pity that appeared on Tonks face, knowing full-well that his own expression didn't reflect that. He would never feel pity for his friend, it was useless emotion and for someone who'd spent a large part of his on the receiving end of it, he knew better than anybody that it didn't help. So instead he turned and watched as the red stain at the head of the table spread out further and further, all the while thinking – at least it helped.

Shaking his head at Sirius' petulant behaviour, he reached into his pocket and extracted his wand, aiming it at the mess and mumbling a few incoherent words. A white whirlwind burst forth from the tip of his wand and swirled around down the end of the table, causing the mess to disappear entirely. When that stain was gone, he flicked his wand and the whirlwind went after the little orange one in front of Tonks, bursting into a fading white cloud once it was finished.

**-/Of course magic will get the stupid stain out, why didn't I think of that. I'm supposed to be freakin Auror and I can't even figure that out/-**

Once the whirlwind had disappeared, leaving the tablecloth in pristine condition again, she looked up and shot him a grateful smile.

"Thanks, if I'd tried that I probably would have blown the table to pieces. I've never been really good at the household spells, much to my mum's disappointment."

"I'm sure you're not that bad."

His words were genuine but she started laughing as if he was joking, her eyes widening as she nodded her head.

"Yeah I am. Once I tried to get a cloth to wipe the bench at home and I ended up setting it on fire, apparently I was a little too enthusiastic with the spell and the dry friction caused sparks."

Remus listened in shock as he shook his head in disbelief before he jokingly moved the saturated hankie away from her lest she try to demonstrate. She started laughing again and he found his focus suddenly being drawn to her red pouty lips, which stretched wide with her gorgeous smile.

"It's true, dad reckons it's coz I take everything on at full speed, which is great when I'm at work but it doesn't work out so well at home."

Remus chuckled softly at her as she finished, although he had almost no idea what she'd just said. He was so consumed by her natural seductive prowess that he'd only managed to pick up random words in the conversation. He searched his brain for some semblance of what the conversation was about but decided instead to change the topic, lest she realise he'd been too busy staring at her enticing mouth to pay attention.

"Speaking of full-speed, how's your nose."

She lifted her hand to rub her petite little nose, a strange, clueless expression flitting across her face as she tried to figure out what he was talking about.

**-/My nose, what's full speed about my... oh/-**

She tried to fight the smile that threatened to take over her face as comprehension finally dawned. Her eyebrows arched high on her forehead as a slight pink colour appeared on her cheeks and she moved her hand from her nose and lightly whacked her forehead with it, obviously still a little embarrassed at her earlier faux par.

"My nose is perfectly fine now, thank you very much."

**-/You're a git Remus Lupin, although you're an adorably cute one that I wouldn't mind seeing more of, in more ways than one/-**

He'd become quite accustomed to hearing her often audacious thoughts but sometimes they caught him off guard and caused him to react in one of two way, either he'd blush a deep red at her lewd thoughts or he would laugh at her oh-so-subtle cheekiness. In this case it was the latter. He raised his hand up in front of his mouth to try and pass off his snickering as a coughing fit but it still came through his eyes which had creased at the corners, the way they always did when he smiled. This was something that Tonks noticed immediately and because she didn't know exactly what he was laughing at, she assumed it was her.

Her smile faded into a pursed look of annoyance as she watched him continue to laugh in front of her but when he saw that her amusement had faded he stopped , sitting up straighter in his chair, a little nervous under her unwavering gaze. He was so busy worrying about what had upset her that he didn't notice the sly smile that tugged at the corners of her lips or the feral gleam that took over her eyes.

**-/I'll teach you to laugh at me Remus Lupin/-**

He didn't have time to worry about she meant, or contemplate exactly what dastardly deed she would carry out, because at that precise moment he felt something solid collide with his chair, suddenly pushing it back just slightly on the wooden floors. Wondering if that was part of his 'punishment', he looked towards Tonks to find that she wasn't annoyed anymore, in fact her face seemed to have crumpled completely. Her mouth was hanging open as if in silent scream, her eyes were slowly but surely turning red and unshed tears were beginning to build up around the brim. She looked like she was in a great deal of pain, he just couldn't figure out why.

**-/OWWWWWWW... OW... OW... OW... OW... Really...Freakin... Hurts/-**

His eyes widened, his brow furrowed together and in that instant Remus went into panic mode, wondering what on earth had happened to cause her such obvious pain. His eyes darted around the room looking for the source but it wasn't until he looked down towards the floor that he saw it. Peeking out from underneath the tablecloth, right where his chair leg had been moments earlier, was a pink and purple striped sock, the foot of which belonged to the crippled young woman in front of him.

Realising what must have happened and trying hard not to laugh at her clumsiness, he reached down and tentatively grabbed hold of her foot before gently lifting it up to rest on his knee. He put his hands under the tablecloth and slid them up the inside of her pant-legs before tugging gently at the top of her knee-high sock, shooting her a reassuring smile when he saw the apprehensive look on her face – she looked like a child afraid to remove a band-aid. The unshed tears that had been building in her eyes suddenly burst and one loan tear escaped down her face as he carefully pulled the sock down her smooth calf and slowly slid it across her injured foot.

**-/Damn... ok that hurts worse than the time I got my foot stuck in.../-**

"ARGH"

She let out a hiss of pain when the sock trailed over her toes and despite being a little disappointed at not knowing what she got her foot stuck in, Remus himself winced slightly when he saw why.

"Erm, you've a done a little damage."

**-/Well done captain obvious/-**

In spite of her snarky inner comments she nodded her head politely at him but she stoically refused to look in the direction and he really couldn't say he blamed her. The bottom half of her foot was quickly turning an angry blackish-red colour as bruising took over and her petite little toes weren't so petite anymore, they were rapidly swelling to more than twice their normal size. He grazed his fingers lightly over her swollen toes and she yelped in pain, trying to retract her foot out of his grasp as she struggled to sit up straighter in her chair.

"Stay still."

His voice was commanding and she glared at him in response.

**-/Easy for you to say, you don't have someone squashing your already broken foot/-**

Remus looked up from inspecting the injured appendage and glared at her, immediately regretting it when he saw the pained broken expression on her face, he hated seeing the tears in her eyes. He looked past her eyes and it was then he noticed that her hair had morphed to a striking dark black colour and for a minute he wondered whether it was an intentional change or if it was her natural colour and she was just in too much pain to hold a morph. He softened his expression and let out a sigh.

"I don't think it's broken and I'm not trying to hurt you but I can't heal it if you don't sit still. So stop acting like a baby."

**-/Not a baby/-**

She stopped struggling and poked her tongue out at him, her face furrowed in concentration as she tried to fight off the feelings of pain radiating through her entire foot. He shook his head at her childish antics as he placed his hand on her bruised skin, holding it firmly even whilst she bucked in pain.

"Owww Remus stop."

Knowing it'd end up being a hell of a lot worse if he stopped now, he ignored her pleading and mumbled a small spell under his breath whilst she thrashed around, making things that much harder. He concentrated all his efforts on the words of the spell and in an instant her swollen toes deflated to their original size and the blackish-red colour faded away completely. He let out a smug satisfied smile when he saw instant relief flood her face.

**-/Pain...gone... Oh thank merlin... mmmmm it feels good to flex my toes/-**

"Better now?"

Her head had lolled back on her shoulders but she brought it forward when she heard him talk, letting out a deeply satisfied moan as she nodded her head. A grateful smile had made its way onto her face, her eyes which moments ago were brimming with tears were now bright and shining and her hair was the most stunning shade of pink he'd seen in a long time. But even though he knew that she'd made a complete recovery, he continued to rub her soft foot with his rough hands, pretending to inspect his healing abilities but really just relishing being able to touch her supple skin. His fingers moved lightly over her pink toes before grazing across the top of her foot, drawing lazy circles as they made their way up to her ankle, which he absentmindedly stroked with his thumb as he lost himself in thought

**-/Mmmmm... now that almost makes up for the pain entirely/-**

She let out a small contented sigh and her eye's fluttered shut, her head lolling back again when he moved his hand from resting on her ankle to lightly kneading the underside of her foot.

**-/ If you keep that up Lupin than I might just drag you upstairs, to hell with work/-**

Sensing that the situation was becoming a little too involved for the breakfast table, he took his hands of her foot, reluctantly ending the make-shift massage as he picked up her forgotten sock off the floor. Slipping it over her foot, he ran the colourful garment up her leg, ignoring the jolts of electricity that flew through his arm when he touched the bare skin behind her knee as the sock snapped in place. But before he had the chance to remove his hand from her foot completely Sirius walked back to the table and took a seat causing Tonks to quickly retract her leg back under the table.

Sirius eyed them both curiously as he sat down, switching his gaze between the pair of them as they tried to act nonchalant but failed miserably. Remus watched as Sirius' gaze zeroed in on the blushing woman before him, a sly smirk making it's way onto his face.

"Nymmie, why you wanta kick Remus' chair for?"

She turned to look at her cousin when she heard him speak but then her face went blood red, even extending to the tips of her hair as she put her head in her hands. Remus meanwhile hid his mouth behind his hand as he tried hard not to laugh.

"Stop calling me Nymmie, Sirius and I wasn't trying to kick his chair," at this point Remus shot her an amused sceptical, a wide smile on his face, and she turned to glare at him, "I was trying to kick you."

Remus pointed towards his chest, an innocent expression taking over his face even as his mouth crinkled in the corners at his efforts to keep from smiling.

"Me? Why would you want to kick me?"

He asked the question innocently enough but she glared at him anyway, causing Sirius to stifle his laughter as he muttered something that sounded like 'kinky foreplay'. She put on a cute angry face when she heard Sirius' subtle retort and Remus cast his eyes downward when he just couldn't keep a straight face any longer, he couldn't help it – her angry face was just too cute. But when he looked down to hide his laughter, he noticed that the top button of her blouse had popped open to reveal an ample amount of cleavage and he just couldn't tear his eyes away.

**-/I don't know why I'd want to kick you Remus, maybe it's because you made fun of my little juice mishap/-**

Upon hearing her words, heregrettabley tore his gaze away from the pleasing site in front of him and looked up offendedly.

"I was not making fun, I was merely asking a question."

One of her eyebrows shot up high on her forehead and her eyes widened, a strange unreadable look taking over her face as she stared at him. For a moment Remus waited for a response, wondering what was wrong with her, but when he saw Sirius shaking his head out of the corner of his eye he realised what he'd done, he'd responded to a question she didn't ask in the first place. His face blanched, turning as pale as the tablecloth as his heart alternated between beating out of his chest and stopping completely.

"Uh... well... erm," he stuttered along as he desperately tried to backtrack, "I'm assuming the kick was for the 'nose' comment earlier."

**-/Sometimes I could swear he's using occulemency but...nah he wouldn't do that, guess he's just very observant/-**

He sighed in relief when she nodded her head slowly, accepting his somewhat thin story. Although she still had a very wary expression on her face almost as though she didn't believe him.

"You know you really are scarily perceptive sometimes."

"Yeah that's what he is, perceptive."

Sirius started laughing heartily, clumsily trying to hide it behind his coffee cup, as Remus sent him a death stare to shut him up. But it wasn't fast enough, Tonks got that look on her face and he could almost see her mind ticking over, but just when she opened her mouth to question him, they were interrupted by loud booming voices in the hallway.

"Hestia you know as well as I do that Remus gets up early, there's no need to for you to go to his room. He's probably having breakfast with Tonks."

Remus turned towards the entrance of the kitchen just in time to see Bill and Hestia burst through the open door, fresh from their guard duty shift and looking more than a little worse for the wear. Their robes were a little dishevelled, hair a little mussed but despite the dark circles under his eyes and the constant yawns, Bill seemed to be in a cheerful mood, something that was annoying the woman beside him to no end.

"See, told ya you wouldn't have to wake him up. Saved ya the trip upstairs."

"Yeah, thanks."

She smiled sarcastically at the handsome man beside her before she turned and made her way to the table, rolling her eyes as she went.

**-/What an Idiot!!/-**

"Wotcher guys, look like you had a good night."

Tonks greeted them with a cheeky smirk, seemingly forgetting Remus' early indiscretion, and whilst Bill returned her smile with a wide grin of his own, Hestia glared at her. Needless to say, if looks could kill than the bright nymph in front of him would surely be dead.

**-/Of course she's a morning person, the perky little princess is just perfect isn't she/-**

Remus was a little taken aback by Hestia's harsh words, in fact her entire callous attitude this morning had shaken him. He used to think of her as a well-mannered, reserved witch but being able to hear her thoughts had definitely changed his opinion of her entirely, but whilst Tonks' thoughts had somehow managed to endear her to him more, Hestia's thoughts had the opposite effect. His thoughts were halted however when he felt fingers trailing across the back of his shoulders.

"Morning Remus."

She spoke in a throaty, husky morning voice as she came to stand on the other side of Remus, offering him a sweet smile as she lightly grasped his shoulder. He looked away from her sickly sweet smiling face, unsure of why she was being so nice to him and snarky to everyone else, but when he looked away he noticed that Tonks eyes were firmly trained on the hand that rested on his shoulder. And if the pursed look of annoyance on her face was anything to go by than she was less than impressed with the current situation.

**-/I wonder if I could reach far enough under to kick her/-**

To save causing another rather painful situation, most likely for Tonks who really didn't have the best aim, he shrugged his shoulder to the side and watched as Hestia's hand slid off, followed by the smile that was on her face. Recovering quickly from the shock of it all, she stood up straighter and reached into her robes, extracting a silky-looking cloth and held it out to him, a rather bored expression now on her face.

"Here's your invisibility cloak back Remus, turns out I didn't need it anyway."

**-/Because Mr Stick-In-The-Mud over there refused to be part of any of it. Maybe I'll just have to see if I can get guard duty with you next time, Tonks obviously had a good time/-**

Remus shifted uncomfortably in his seat, somewhat disturbed by the way she was glancing him up and down like a piece of meat, licking her lips before leering at him with a creepy smile. He suddenly felt repulsed and strangely very exposed as he looked around the table for help, surprised to see Bill and Sirius watching him, their faces almost identical shades of red from trying to withhold laughter. 

Tonks' face was beginning to turn red as well but he suspected for a completely different reason, or at least he hoped.

"Maybe I'll need it next time."

Her voice was still husky as she winked at him and reached up to grasp his shoulder, a Cheshire like grin engulfing her face. Her smile, however, faded fast when she looked around and noticed Tonks watching their exchange with a death-like glare of her own.

**-/If Bill didn't want a bar of you than I highly doubt Remus will. So back off, he's mine... well maybe... I hope. Either way I called dibs/-**

He felt the pressure on his shoulder release as Hestia hastily let go, a regrettable look on her face as she stepped backwards away from him. Her change in attitude had happened so quickly that Remus had begun to wonder if maybe she'd been a test subject for the Weasley twins as well but then he noticed the unfriendly look on Tonks face and he filled with a sense of pride, although he still worried what the hell 'dibs' meant.

**-/Or not... princess wins again. Hmmmm wonder if I have time to pay Sturgy a visit/-**

Remus watched as she strode back across the kitchen, brushing abruptly past Bill before disappearing out the door. Shaking his head at the crazy antics of the usually calm woman, Bill strode across the room towards the freshly brewed coffee sitting on the bench.

"Mental that one, I think sleep-deprivation is getting to her, either that or she's gone completely round the twist. Kept trying to throw that stupid cloak over me all night, claiming that she heard noises."

He spoke over his shoulder as he reached for a mug and poured himself a cup of steaming black coffee. The horrified/disgusted look on his face causing Tonks, Sirius and Remus to laugh at his expense, the latter sending a silent prayer of thanks for not putting him on shift with her, he was much happier hiding under the cloak with Tonks snuggled up beside him. A hopeless, lovestruck smile settled on his face as he looked towards the woman in question and noticed her eyeing the garment in his arms curiously.

**-/hmmm I wonder if he'll bring that cloak tonight, I definitely want a repeat performance. Maybe more/-**

As he watched her he noticed her tongue dart out to lip her top lip before she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, biting on it softly as she continued to be entranced by the shimmering cloak in his hands.

"Anything interesting happen during your shift?"

Sirius directed the question towards Bill who was leaning against the kitchen counter, slowly sipping his coffee. Upon hearing it a wicked gleam took over his eyes and he swaggered towards the kitchen table, eyes darting between Remus to Tonks before he smiled cheekily.

**-/UH-OH, this can't be good/-**

"Nothing as interesting as what happened earlier."

As he spoke he shrugged his shoulders as though the details were of no importance and Sirius seemed to blindly accept this explanation, thinking Bill was referring to the masked intruder and not something completely different. But the sly grin on his face told another story and he winked at Tonks before he turned and walked towards the kitchen door.

"Or as enjoyable, right Tonks?"

He threw the question over his shoulder as he walked out the door, thoroughly amused at the situation he'd just created. His raucous laughter echoed down the hall and Tonks ducked her head slightly as she suddenly became interested in something in her lap, a dark blush making it's way up her slender, creamy-white neck.

**-/Great, does everyone know I've got a thing for Remus or something. He probably thinks I'm as bad as Hestia/-**

He wanted to scream at her that no-one thought she was like Hestia, he wanted to grab her hand and reassure her that he had a thing for her too, but he couldn't, Sirius was already watching them both suspiciously, a peculiar gleam in his eyes. Instead Remus fidgeted in his chair, desperately trying to not look suss but coming across even more so under Sirius scrutinizing gaze.

**-/OK time to go, Sirius looks like his on to something and I really don't want to have to explain it/-**

Remus snapped his head so fast in her direction that he was sure he was going to get whiplash

"I'd better get going boys, work and all. Give ya mum hell for me Sirius," she winked at Sirius before she turned towards Remus and smiled sweetly at him, "I'll see you tonight Remus."

**-/Bring the invisibility cloak/-**

Remus gave her a desperate pleading look and he was sure that his puppy dog eyes were bound to work but she just mouthed sorry and fled from the room.

**-/Sorry Remus, better you than me though/-**

The door to the kitchen slammed shut behind her and Remus suddenly felt very uncomfortable, being the sole source of Sirius' questioning stare.

"Yes, well I'd better be off too, things to do."

Remus started to get up but Sirius put a hand out to stop him.

"Hold on now Moony, first I want a little explanation. What exactly happened during guard duty last night?"

He had an amused smile on his face because he knew he was toying with Lupin but there was a no nonsense look in his eyes that ascertained that he wouldn't be lied to.

"There was an intruder and Tonks and I hid under an invisibility cloak so that we wouldn't be seen."

He picked the garment up off the table and held it up for effect but Sirius raised his eyebrows and looked at him sceptically.

"And that's it, that's all that happened."

Remus nodded in assent of his doctored story, reasoning to himself that it was what happened, he just withheld some of the finer details. Like the fact that he held onto her for a lot longer than he should have, that when she was sitting in front of him he had to keep from getting more excited than he should have, that he had to fight the impulse to ravage her right there on the spot, that even though their kiss was only brief he could still feel her soft lips on his, that her smell still lingered on his skin and he hoped it'd never go away, that he fell asleep last night still wearing the same shirt just because it smelled like her.

He reasoned that those were details that Sirius didn't need to know and yet somehow he knew they were bound to come out, his old friend wouldn't relent until he got the full story.

"Then how come Bill was referring to something interesting and enjoyable," Remus opened his mouth to answer but Sirius cut him off, "and if was as innocent as you say it was, then why did Tonks go all red and why'd you get all fidgety?"

Remus opened and closed his mouth several times as he tried to think up a plausible excuse for their guilty responses.

"And why were you were both so keen to get out of here when moments ago you'd both been staring at each other all googly-eyed. I know you Moony, and I know when you're not telling me something. So what exactly happened last night, that Bill would classify as 'interesting'?"

Remus let out a deep breath and scrubbed a hand over his face, not able to meet Sirius' eye.

"When Bill and Hestia came down to start there guard duty shift, they found Tonks and I under the invisibility cloak. Bill must have got the wrong idea."

Sirius looked at him cynically.

"I thought you said the intruder came at the beginning of the shift."

"He did."

"Then why were you still under the invisibility cloak?"

Remus shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Well, uh, you see...," he stuttered slightly as he tried to come up with a plausible excuse other than 'because it felt good', "precautionary measure, in case he returned."

He pulled the explanation from the back of his mind, it was the same excuse that Tonks had given him and it'd sounded plausible when she said it but coming from his mouth it sounded lame.

"You're tugging if you think I'm going believe that, there's no way it was that innocent."

His eyebrow shot up and Remus let out an exasperated sigh.

"What do you want me to tell you Sirius, I like her ok, I like her. And I know I shouldn't," at this point he stood up from the table and started pacing as Sirius watched him strangely, "I mean I'm a werewolf for Merlin's sake, I have no money and no prospects, I'm far too dangerous. Not to mention the fact that I'm old enough to be her bloody father."

Sirius stood up and stopped his friend's pacing.

"Remus stop, first of all unless you became a parent at 13 then you're not old enough to be her father and the rest of it's just bullshit, she's an Auror, I'm pretty sure she can handle your 'little problem'."

He gave Remus a familiar stern look, the one he always used when he went all self-deprecating.

"And secondly I don't actually have a problem with you dating my little cousin, frankly I think it's about time you got lucky. What I want to know is why on earth you'd accept that stupid mission from Dumbledore last night when you're obviously already involved."

"I'm not involved Sirius."

Sirius gave him a 'yeah-right' look.

"But you want to be, and don't deny it I saw the way you were both flirting with each other all morning, makes me glad I didn't a Weasley sweet. What I want to know is how you expect to start a relationship with my baby cousin on a lie, or are you going to tell her that you agreed to spy on her because I'm sure she'd take it well."

Remus let out a sigh as he scrubbed his hands through his hair roughly.

"Sirius you know that it isn't like that, you're making it sound like I want to spy on her," his voice raised slightly as he looked on indignantly, "I didn't have a choice Padfoot."

"That still doesn't change the facts Moony, look how happy she was this morning ,with the whole giddiness and the 'see you tonight'," he spoke it in an overly breathy voice and Remus cracked a smile much to Sirius' displeasure, "This isn't a joke Remus, how do you think she's going to feel if she ever finds out what you've done, if she ever finds out you deceived her like that."

There was strange caring look on his face and his voice wreaked of protectiveness, it was a strange quality that Remus hadn't seen for a while and it unnerved him a little. Sirius had always been the joking one, the one to take the piss out of the predicament's Remus got himself into, it was odd to see him so worried. When he'd calmed down a little he spoke again.

"Remus I know what Moody said last night but I still think you should just tell her."

He let out a frustrated sigh.

"So you want me to tell her about this but you didn't want me to tell her about being able to hear her thoughts. That's hypocritical Sirius, they're the bloody same thing, they're both spying."

Sirius shook his head as Remus stared on defensively.

"They're not the same thing Remus, one of them would probably just make her a little mad and might earn you a slap in the face if she found out, the other has the potential to break her completely."

Remus knew he was right, not that he would ever admit it, but he also knew that he was too far in now to back out.

"I can't tell her Sirius, I'm too involved now and if she knows that she's being watched then no-one going to trust her and she doesn't deserve that. I just have to get tonight over with and then everything will be fine."

Sirius shook his head and cracked a smile as he turned and walked out the door.

"For your sake I hope so but honestly I don't think it will end well. And when all this comes out, when she's devastated because no-one trusted her, I want it known that I had nothing to do with it."

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

Looking back on that moment still made him feel guilty and he felt the heavy weight growing in his stomach again because ultimately he knew that Sirius was right. He'd been replaying that moment in his head all day, the one where Sirius walked out the door claiming he wanted nothing to do with it, and he wished it was that easy for him to. He wished that he could simply wash his hands of it all, could walk out of the room and pretend it never happened but he couldn't. If he didn't do it than somebody else would.

He kicked another rock along the footpath as he rounded the corner and the house that they were meant to be watching came into view, making the entire situation more real somehow. In all honesty he'd been dreading this moment all day. He didn't want to have to lie to her, she didn't deserve that, but he also knew that he couldn't tell her, it'd just make the entire situation so much worse. He walked over and leaned against the tree in front of the house, waiting for her to arrive, waiting for his betrayal to begin.

* * *

AN: OK well that's this one done. I've got to tell you though, this chappy didn't turn out anything like I expected. This chapter and the next one were originally meant to just be one chapter but by the time I'd finished writing the flashback it was already way too long so I decided to split them. Which kinda makes this chappy a little on the boring side but trust me the next chapter is going to be good :D

Back to this chappy, uh I know it was a little boring but I basically just wanted to show, for future reference, why Sirius is being so sulky about Remus and Tonks. It's not that he doesn't approve of them, he just doesn't want either one to get hurt... he's got a good heart underneath all the brooding. SO yeah, and I know that the Hestia thing was a little random but what can I say, I love seeing jealous Tonks and freaked-out Remus. LOL

**HATE IT/LOVE IT –** got any suggestions at all, chuck a review my way and let me know. I'll luv you forever if you do.

HUGZ N KISSES

EllaQueenB

GO THE MAROONS!! (If you're Australian, or more importantly a QLDer, then you'll understand that)


	7. An Act of Betrayal PART 2

Heya,

Ok it's official – I'm like the worst updater ever :( AND I'm soooo sorry for it (all the wonderful reviews actually made me feel really guilty when I realised how long it's been) In all honesty this chapter should've been posted more than 2 months ago but unfortunately my laptop got really sick and the computer man had to put it down :( Believe me... I was devastated.

Anyways to make up for it I've written an extra long chapter for you. Ok that's a lie, I really didn't intend on it being this long and ultimately it's not that good to make up for anything. But here it is anyway :D

Thanks to all the people who read the last chapter (oh so long ago) and extra special thanks to all those wonderful reviewers who I missed so much. So**nello0629, PhoenixDreamer55, OTP, Copperboombaby8, ivonne910, ChristinaAngel, .x.BadWolfRose.x., ladyherenya, The Savior of the Broken, Kristal,GreatMouseDetective, kk1189 (BTW can't wait to catch up on your stories), mslupin21, WakeUpThisWorld, Death's-Razor-Blade, ZemISHly, horklump, xDFx, Allie, magically dorky, Rowen James, pet-munchkin and Amy – here's to ya!!**

Dedicated to my dear Jord (A.K.A pet-munchkin) who I haven't sent a reply email to in months :D (And to all the reviewers I didn't get around to replying to)

* * *

An Act of Betrayal - Part 2

HHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

The loud abhorrent noise shook the still air, sending birds that had settled in nearby tress scattering into the night sky and destroying the eerily calm facade that had settled over the neighbourhood as dusk fell. Bright shining headlights lit up the darkened street, highlighting the lone figure that had ventured onto the road, unknowingly into the path of its destruction. Its sudden appearance forced the wanderer out of the loathsome, distracted mood he'd slipped into, causing him to hastily jump backwards up onto the curb just as the red Lexus sped past him, a certain finger thrown casually out the window as it went, accompanied by a few choice words.

Screeching its tires, the vehicle sped around the corner and out of site, leaving him stunned on the sidewalk in its wake. The street faded back to darkness as the car's lights disappeared into the distance and Remus stood still, momentarily stunned, until the sound of vicarious laughter brought him out of his stupor, helping him to adjust to recent events and refocus on the world around him. He didn't need to focus, however, to know whom the laughter was coming from. It had a very distinct sound to it, one he was sure he'd recognise anywhere, no matter what guise its owner was wearing. But it wasn't just her laughter that had alerted him to her presence. His senses, heightened by the impending moon, had detected her scent on the wind long before she'd made a sound. And it wasn't just the familiar scent of her shampoo or the flowery perfume she'd put on that he could smell, it was her natural scent that he'd detected – cinnamonand cherry blossoms. It's what she always smelt of and for some unknown reason it had the most peculiar effect on him, it made his stomach drop and all of the senses in his body come alive.

After a while the loud laughter died down into barely concealed chuckles, the girly squeaks breaking the silence as Remus kept his eyes firmly trained on the pavement beneath his feet. When the embarrassment that had crept up his neck faded away, he finally gathered enough courage to lift his gaze, immediately confirming what he'd already believed to be true. Across the road from him, standing on the footpath in front of the phoney safe-house they were meant to be watching, was the very woman that had consumed his thoughts all day and the same one that he'd been dreading seeing.

Sirius's words to him that morning had really shaken him, and not just because he was actually being 'serious' for once. His friends' words had been playing over and over in his head all day, repeating themselves like a mantra, and ever since breakfast whenever he so much as even thought about Tonks a pressing weight would push forth in his stomach, settling in the bottom and consuming him with feelings of guilt. So as he stood there on the gloomy street corner, the wind whipping perilously around him, he prepared himself for those feelings to wash over him again, only to be left surprised when they didn't come.

Surprise quickly turned to confusion as he stared across the street at her, wondering why the overpowering feelings weren't there. The clouds parted abovetheir heads, the moon peaking out and bathing them in soft light. It silhouetted her form and gave a pearly sheen to her features, somehow making her seem more ethereal than real and for a moment Remus wondered if maybe she wasn't. He wondered if perhaps this was a dream, it would certainly explain the lack of feelings, but all such thoughts were knocked clear from his head as she took a step forward and stumbled over her robes, causing her shrieks of laughter to grow louder – surely dream Tonks wouldn't be so clumsy.

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched her try to compose herself, relief flooding him when he realised that in stressing about it all day, he'd built the moment up in his head to be much worse than the reality of it all. He'd been imagining something harder but actually seeing her, smelling her scent on the wind around him, hearing her squeaky giggles fill the air – it somehow reassured him that maybe things weren't so bad. And even though the weight of guilt was still there, it had been suppressed by a familiar swarm of butterflies that always seemed to fill his stomach whenever she was around. In that moment, feeling the way he felt, he honestly couldn't imagine ever not wanting to see her.

The thunder rumbled angrily in the sky above him as he stepped onto the road, making sure to check for rogue on-coming vehicles, before tentatively making his way towards her. The streetlight above her slowly flickered to life and his smile widened when he saw her properly for the first time. She had her hand firmly covering her mouth as she desperately tried to pass her giggles off as a coughing fit only to fail miserably, her face turning red from the effort of suppressing it all.

**-/Who'd have thought... the professor can't cross the street by himself/-**

"Didn't your parents ever teach you to look both ways before you cross the street Remus."

He shook his head at her teasing tone, dropping his gaze to the footpath as he walked towards her, a blush creeping up his neck, his feelings caught somewhere between embarrassment and amusement that she seemed to find his moment of weakness so entertaining. A sudden crack of lightning caused him to instinctively look up in shock as it lit up the street around him, illuminating Tonks lithe form barely metres in front of him. Her giggling had stopped and she no longer had her hand covering her mouth but he wasn't greeted with the sweet girlish smile he'd been expecting, the one he adored, the one that made his heart stop. Instead he was greeted with an unexpected smug grin, one that looked all too familiar but at the same time appeared completely out of place on her innocent heart-shaped face – an arrogant, superior smile that was the trademark of her cousin.

Tonks was such an unconventional person with such a bright and bubbly personality that sometimes it was easy to forget that the blood of the ancient and most noble house of Black was running ice-cold through her veins. But as another bolt of lightning shot across the cloud-filled sky, revealing Tonks with the hood of her black cloak pulled up over her head, a self-satisfied smirk hardening her usually soft features, the resemblance was unmistakable. And even without the signature black hair and sullen moods that marked her relatives, the image was enough to leave Remus speechless.

**-/Poor guy, maybe you just need someone to hold your hand... oooh I volunteer/-**

The wind picked up around them as the image of Tonks in a tight Hogwarts uniform, her hand waving wildly in the air for her professors attention, filtered into his mind. The breeze ruffled his cloak, masking the beginnings of appreciation for the certain image as he fought hard to keep a stupid, lustful grin from claiming his face, unable to look her in the eye but still unable, or perhaps just unwilling, to look away. She moved her head slightly to the side and all his thoughts of her similar Black traits faded completely when her hood slid back, long pink tendrils of her hair escaping their fabric prison and falling down to gently frame her face.

The butterflies in his stomach fluttered to life when her smile widened into the girly grin he'd been waiting for and as her eyes lit up, her 'Tonks' side shining through – an amusing impish look softening her features and masking her haughty 'Black' reflection. And even though she was clearly enjoying teasing him, he couldn't help it when his smile widened as well.

"Good evening Nymphadora"

He fought back an amused chuckle when she visibly flinched at the sound of her given name, the smile flickering off her face for the briefest moment as she narrowed her eyes at him. He waited for her usual reprimand to begin, her short but often repeated tirade about his use of the 'N' word, but to his surprise she didn't protest his use of it, at least not vocally.

**-/Damn you and that stupid name... it's Tonks, just Tonks/-**

"Wotcher Lupin"

She spoke her customary greeting with an added enthusiasm, a smirk lighting her face, as though calling him by his last name was bound to offend him as much as her first name offended her. But he didn't notice, his eyes were drawn to her mouth when she sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth, biting it enticingly as her eyes trailed over his body, an appreciative smile showing at the corners of her mouth. Not used to the attention of the opposite sex, he struggled to stand still under her roaming eyes but when she finally reached his face, he caught her gaze for the briefest of moments before she looked away coyly.

**-/Oh Merlin, he has the most gorgeous smile. I'm so lucky he asked me to come tonight/-**

Involuntarily, the very same smile she was referring to slipped off his face as he listened in on her thoughts. The pleasant butterflies in his stomach dyed away and the pressing cold weight of guilt pressed down upon him as he was forced out to the lustful fantasy he'd been concentrating on and back into reality. Fresh waves of shame crashed over him as he forced himself to remember the real reason he was trying to stare into her eyes on a moonlit night, the real reason they were standing in front of an abandoned old house during stormy weather instead of enjoying a hearty meal with Sirius, courtesy of Molly Weasley. A cold shiver ran down his spine when he thought of the real reason he'd asked her to come along tonight because it had nothing to do with what she was thinking – it wasn't luck at all, it was deception plain and simple.

'_When she's devastated because no-one trusted her'_

Sirius' gruff voice filled his head again, drowning out Tonks more pleasant thoughts and urging on the ever-growing weight in his stomach. And even though he was slightly amused that his dubious old friend seemed to be the voice of his conscience, it wasn't enough to keep him from regressing back to his self-loathing mood. The cold weight in his stomach crept upwards and he felt his chest constrict, compelling him to look away, her innocent smiling face, which only moments earlier had set his heartbeat racing, ultimately becoming too much to bear. With a look of pain etched across his torn features, he brushed passed her without a word and walked silently along the path towards the garden gate.

**-/Ok what's that all about... where's he going?/-**

Her footsteps sounded heavily against the pavement behind him, causing him to stop when he reached the gate, leaning heavily against the chain-link fence whilst he waited for her to catch up. He closed his eyes and brought a hand up to his head, roughly running it through his greying hair, causing strands of it to stand on end for a moment before they fell back flat. When he opened his eyes, Tonks was standing directly in front of him but the bright smiling face he'd walked away from was marred with concern and he immediately felt all the worse for it.

"Are you ok Remus? You seem a little distracted."

He had leaned down to undo the latch of the garden gate but he stopped and turned back around at the sound of her voice. Her eyes were trailing over him again but this time it had nothing to do with appreciation, it was as though she was trying to pinpoint the exact location of his unease – concern rather than delight shining out through her eyes. He wanted to tell her what was wrong, explain about the task and how it was forced upon him, he wanted to tell her that he'd only taken it because the thought of Snape keeping that closer eye on her turned his stomach sick and that he in no way believed her capable of betrayal. But then he'd never believed himself capable of betrayal and yet here he was. He wanted to tell her the truth but he knew that even though he would gain absolution from his admission, she'd only be hurt – so he faked a smile and lied.

"I'm fine."

**-/Yeah right... and I use polyjuice potion on a regular basis/-**

He straightened up, his eyes widening as he tried to look as innocent as possible under her scrutinising gaze, but instead of easing her mind it had the opposite effect. She folded her arms across her chest as her concerned face morphed into a stern one, her eyebrows raising in scepticism.

"Your fine, coz fine people don't usually step out in front of cars.."

**-/and almost become roadkill. Do you have a death wish or something? I really hope not, I can't deal with two of you/-**

His blank faux-innocent look turned into one of confusion, his brows furrowing as he muddled his way through her rambling thoughts, desperately wondering who else she knew that had a death wish. He waited on tenterhooks for her to continue, but she must've misinterpreted the look on his face because her thoughts suddenly changed direction.

**-/Oh, ok... how do I explain this one/-**

"Uh car, you know... giant piece of metal with wheels."

She began flailing her arms around in front of her, desperately trying to explain what he already knew. A smile broke across his face at the ridiculousness of her actions, she was impossibly cute sometimes, and he let a small chuckle escape as he reached forwards and gently grabbed her wrists, willing her to stop her attempts at education.

"Please stop, I uh, I know what a car is," he paused for a moment, trying to think of a logical reason for the clueless expression on his face earlier that had prompted her 'interpretation', "I just, I didn't step out in front of it – it came screeching round the corner out of nowhere."

He let go of her wrists, moving his hands back to his sides, immediately missing the warmth of her soft skin beneath his. She looked at him oddly.

"The car came from straight down the road."

**-/A blind person could have seen it/-**

An affronted, frustrated look slid across her features and although she looked awfully cute with her lips almost pouting, the smile faded from his face, there was a seriousness about her that didn't seem right on her features either. He knew she was worried about him but in all honesty he couldn't tell her the real reason he hadn't seen the car, couldn't tell her that he was so caught up in his horrible reasons for being there that he'd almost been hit by the 'great piece of metal with wheels'.

"Oh, well I uh, guess I didn't see it. Must've been..."

"Distracted?"

She offered the word with a small smile, concern still clearly evident in her eyes, but an i-told-you-so attitude shining through as well. He exhaled in a huff, grudgingly nodding his assent.

"And then before we were talking and you just walked away,"

He looked away from her, staring blankly across the road, he knew this one wouldn't be so easy to explain away and the truth wasn't an option. He ran his hand through his hair, tilting his head back and looking up to the stars for inspiration. He didn't want to lie to her but he honestly couldn't see another way out of it. The dark grey clouds were moving fast across the black sky, covering most of the stars, but light was still emitting from the large golden orb above his head, a visible shiver racking his body as he stared at the part of the sky he loathed.

**-/Why didn't I see it before/-**

"It's the moon isn't it, that's what's distracting you."

Her voice came out meek as she broke the silence, breaking his trance, and he heard her shuffling her feet as though she was scared to offend him if she'd assumed wrong. He tilted his head back towards her and seeing an easy out, he nodded his head in resignation, reasoning with himself that it wasn't a complete lie, just an omission of truth.

**-/Oh god it's almost full/-**

Her meaningful, compassionate eyes which had been boring into his own suddenly darted away with a sharp flick of her head but before they left his, he saw them fill with a emotion he hadn't seen there before when she looked at him – pity. It was a reaction that was all too familiar but it awoke a fear within him. Not the look itself, he was used to that look, and the feelings of rejection weren't new either – he was always expecting that reaction, only not from her.

**-/Merlin I'm such an idiot... he's a werewolf/-**

He also wasn't prepared for the reaction it caused within himself. It felt as though ice cold fingers had wrapped tightly around his heart and the fact that she could no longer bear to look at him reflected with each painstaking beat.

**-/Of course he's bothered by the moon.. and here I am swanning around thinking its romantic/-**

"I'm sorry."

Her head was bowed towards the ground, her eyes firmly trained on the scuff marks on her dirty black combat boots, as she mumbled her apology and although the ice-cold feelings of rejection slipped away when he realised she wasn't fazed by his 'condition', a much stronger feeling struck sharp in his chest as she uttered the 's' word. Before him stood a truly beautiful young woman, apologising for something she had no control over, when he was the one who should be apologising to her, a million times over, and even then it would never be enough to excuse what he was doing to her tonight.

Suddenly he was filled with an overwhelming, subconscious desire to let her know that it wasn't her fault, none of it was, and so he reached out towards her, his strong fingers lightly brushing along the soft skin on the underside of her jaw as his thumb stroked along her chin. He gently tilted her head upwards, his dark eyes meeting her soft blue hues in a moment of heartfelt honesty – he wanted her to know that his words were sincere, even if his actions were not.

"You have nothing to apologise for Nymphadora. It's not your fault, none of it."

**-/I might have something to apologise for if you keep calling me that/-**

She gave him a small smile, rolling her eyes at him for his excessive use of the 'N' word and when he was sure she wouldn't drop her head again, he reluctantly pulled his hand away before he acted on his urge to trace her pouting lips with his thumb.

**-/Oh merlin/-**

"I guess I'm just not great company tonight."

She seemed to brighten at this and the impish look returned to her face, her playful smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

"That's alright. I'll be great enough for the both of us."

**-/Ok that sounded dirtier than I wanted it to/-**

Her breathy voice, combined with a suggestive wink and her lucrative thoughts caused Remus' eyes to widen in mock-surprise, a smile crinkling his serious face when he saw the light pink tinge creep into her cheeks. The mood between them relaxed once again and although he didn't feel entirely at ease with the situation, he tried not to let it show, she didn't need to know. She shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans and shrugged at him, her eyes lighting up as she did so.

**-/Knew I was forgetting something/-**

"Speaking of great company,"

She pulled her hand out of her pocket and opened it up to him, revealing a small black parcel sitting in her palm. He eyed her hand suspiciously, his brows furrowing in confusion as he looked up to find her watching him expectantly.

"I ran into Mad-Eye at the Ministry this morning and he chucked it at me, told me to give it to you tonight."

"What is it?"

She shrugged her shoulders again, her clueless attitude faltering when her eyes swiftly darted away from his own.

"No idea."

His eyebrows rose high on his forehead as he stared at her sceptically, switching his gaze between the guilty-looking woman before him and the shrunken object in her hands.

**-/Ok so I do know what it is but I'm not telling you that I peeked/-**

"So he didn't tell you what it was, did he tell you anything?"

"Well he may have muttered something about 'Constant Vigilance' but you know Moody."

"And you didn't think to question him about it."

She looked at him indignantly, her hand coming to rest lazily on her hip as she rolled her eyes.

"Who questions Moody?"

He shrugged his shoulders in some semblance of agreement, letting the subject drop for the moment as he reached into his robes and pulled out his wand. Carefully he levitated the small parcel from Tonks outstretched hand and moved it between them. Moving his wrist in an intricate circle, he whispered several words under his breath causing the package between them to expand into its original form - a large black backpack. He stowed his wand back into his robes before reaching out and unzipping the bag, opening it up to find it full of various intruder devices. On top of it all was a crisp white envelope which he snatched out of the satchel before zipping it shut and hoisting it over his shoulder.

'Lupin' was scrawled in the center of the envelope in Moody's unmistakeable excuse for quillmenship but when he flipped it over to open it he found Moody's trademark eye imprint wax seal was missing. In its place were grease marks on the parchment where the wax once sat – apparently somebody wasn't as innocent as they claimed.

_Lupin,_

_This will help you tonight with CONSTANT VIGILANCE, in case you get distracted by something, or someone, else._

_Best to be sure Lad_

Rolling his eyes at the old man's subtleness, or complete lack thereof, he scrunched the parchment up tightly in his hands before throwing it in the air, watching it incinerate to ash as it drifted along on the cool winds.

"Well now personally I think he's getting a bit paranoid in his old age and all but it can't hurt to put them out. We'll have to do it quickly though, looks like it's going to bucket down soon."

Her voice broke through the still air whilst he was still drifting off about Moody's accurate words and by the time he'd looked up, she'd already passed through the garden gate and had set off across the lawn. The gate clicked shut as he walked through it, quickly passing the dilapidated old white house with his long, smooth strides and catching up with her just as she neared the fence line. Her foot was rooting around in the dirt under a plant, scratching a hole to set the first device up and as he unzipped the backpack to take the offending object out, he noticed the sudden awkward silence that had fallen over them.

It was never like this between them, even the first time they met they'd found something to talk about, mostly because she'd fallen over what she claimed was an 'evil' umbrella stand and given them ammo to tease her mercilessly. And as he listened to the sounds of the street around them, magnified by the silence between them, he couldn't help but wonder if it'd always be like this now, if he'd sacrificed their easygoing friendship for the Order - if this was the price he had to pay.

**-/There were three in the bed, then Remus said – roll over, roll... ov..er/-**

He couldn't help but smile at the randomness of her thoughts and that was when he realised that things hadn't changed, not really. She didn't know about any of it and the only reason things were awkward between them was because he was allowing it. He shook his head as he pulled the device out of the backpack and handed it to her, his smile increasing due to the relief of it all.

**-/Then me and Remus were left in the bed and.../-**

"What are smiling at Remus, another amusing note in the bag."

"No uh, just thinking."

Her eyebrows quirked as she took the offering from his outstretched hand as if prompting him for his thoughts. And he obliged, in a doctored fashion, figuring teasing was better than silence.

"Just remembering the first time we met," her face quirked into a smile, "and you fell on your face."

The smile faded into a mock glare and she rolled her eyes as she dropped to her knees and set the device on the ground.

"Really?"

**-/You and Sirius have really got to let that go already, as if it wasn't embarrassing enough the first time/-**

The voice in her head wasn't joking, it didn't sound humorous, it sounded serious and wounded. She always laughed it off when she fell, always acted as though it was all in good fun when they teased her, he hadn't realised that maybe it was just that – acting. Beneath her tough exterior, a vulnerable girl hid and he was starting to see that maybe picking on her clumsiness wasn't helping.

"No, not really," he smiled, "I was actually admiring the fact that you had this mysterious bag in your possession all day and yet withstood the urge to peek inside."

He smiled smugly as he spoke but she didn't take the bait, she simply shrugged her shoulders, focusing far more than necessary on the intruder device in her hands. But even though her face was the picture of concentration, he could still see the guilty smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"It was nothing."

**-/It's not hard that hard to carry an unknown package... oh it's bad, now I'm lying to myself/-**

He'd known of her guilt in the matter from the start, there was no way she could've carried it around all day without looking inside, she just wasn't that person. But he was dying for her to admit it.

"No really Tonks, I know you're not exactly known for your patience, it must've been challenging. Curiosity is a Black trait, Sirius would not have fared as well as you did. I'm quite proud of you."

**-/Oh god... please stop/-**

Her false innocent look faltered as she stood up, dusting the dirt off her knee's as she went. She closed her eyes as she looked in his face, a polite smile masking the mocking behind his eyes, he knew she going to crack.

"Stop, I wasn't strong, I was completely weak and I peeked," she looked completely regretful for a moment before a vindicated smile took over her face, "But I had a very good reason to."

"Which was?"

Her righteous smile fell as he asked the question she had to be expecting, her eyes widening ever so slightly.

"Well, u... uh –"

**-/Damn it Tonks, stop looking at his pretty face and think/-**

"Well I had to make sure it wasn't dangerous."

**-/Dangerous... yeah that's good, not in the least bit vague/-**

He eyed her suspiciously, folding his arms across his chest as he stared down at her.

"And praytell, why would a package given to you by an order member be dangerous?"

She shifted on the spot under his unwavering gaze. Her mouth opening and closing several times like a fish above the water.

"Well... uh... um...well it's not like he hasn't been impersonated before," she smiled when she realised she was onto something, "and it really wouldn't look good for an Auror to be caught carrying around a dark object – don't exactly fancy a stint in Azkaban."

He nodded his head and let out a slight chuckle at her predictable defensiveness, so unlike her cousin who'd simply tell him to bugger off. A satisfied grin had spread across her face and even though she wasn't thinking it, he could clearly tell she was struggling to keep from poking her tongue out at him, her posture clearly showing her impression with herself for having explained it away. Clearly thinking she'd won, but how wrong she was.

"You know there's another way to explain why you peeked Nymphadora."

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly on her forehead as she stared at him, her cute little expression making it harder to suppress the devilish little smile from taking over his face.

"Which is?"

He slung the backpack back over his shoulder, his mouth crinkling at the corners from suppressing the smug smile that was trying to fight it's way forth. He stared at her, catching her eye as he stepped a little closer towards her, catching the familiar smell of his shampoo in her hair as he bent down to speak in her ear. His original intent had been to unnerve her, to make sure that his words would crack her cocky facade but being that close to her unnerved _him _and he almost lost himself completely as his lips unintentionally brushed lightly against her soft earlobe. It wasn't until he felt her shudder against him, heard her breath hitch in her throat, that he remembered his original plan and instead of taking her luscious pink lobe between his lips like he'd so wanted to do, he spoke softly as if telling her a secret.

"That you can incredibly nosy sometimes."

As he pulled back he watched as her eyes flutter open, shock finally registering on her pretty face as he turned away from her and walked down the side of the house, leaving her there with her jaw slightly ajar and her eyes wide.

**-/HUH/-**

He couldn't stop the smile that took over his face as he reached the corner of the yard, where they would place the next device, and turned back to see her still standing there with the same dumbfounded expression on her features. He set the backpack on the ground and set about freeing the next device from Moody's tangle of equipment, steeling himself for her retort when he finally heard her footsteps thudding against the hard ground as she made her way towards him.

With the device firmly in his hand, he zipped the backpack up and pushed it to the side as Tonks came to stand behind him, so close that the warmth emanating from her body set the hairs on the back of his neck on end. He could feel her behind him so it was no surprise to see her there when he stood up and turned around, what he didn't expect to see was the look of wild determination in her eyes, her jaw set as she stared up at him indignantly.

**-/Prat/-**

"I am not nosey."

She punctuated each word deftly and for a moment, without the aid of any thoughts in her head, he couldn't tell whether she was seriously offended at his words, or more likely his actions, or whether she was still messing around. To save himself a confrontation, and to ensure the protection of certain parts of his anatomy that he'd become quite attached to, he simply shrugged his shoulders and turned around to attach the device to the fence.

"Remus I'm not," he smiled in relief when he heard the whining in her voice, "think about this logically – Mad-Eye was my teacher, he's the one that drilled 'Constant Vigilance' into my skull, I heard it about 30 times a day during training. Therefore I was just doing what he himself had trained me to do."

With a final flourish of his wand, he finished setting the sticking charm and turned around to face her, noting that her expression was the picture of innocent seriousness once again.

"You were just being a good student really."

"He would have expected no less."

Her hands made their way to her hips as the self-satisfied smile fought its way forward again. He didn't know whether it was the reflection of the moon, or perhaps streetlights, or whether it was the knowledge that she'd come up with another passable explanation for her 'nosiness' but her eyes seemed to twinkle. His expression softened.

"So that's the official line then?"

**-/Yep, and I'm sticking to it/-**

She bent down and picked the backpack up of the ground and gave him a coy smile as she walked away from him this time. And even though he hated for her to think she'd gained the upper hand this time, the view of her walking away more than made up for it.

**-/Really, fancy him thinking I was nosey... wait who am I kidding/-**

"Come on Remus, it's going to rain on us if we're not quick."

She cast a glance at him over her shoulder as she spoke and after shaking his head at her sudden attitude, and his mind from the gutter, he obediently set after her, watching her long black cloak swish in the wind as she walked, her hips swinging just a little more than usual. The thought that perhaps they were swinging more because she knew he was watching crept into his head, immediately banished by the more logical side of him, replaced by the thought of being a lecherous old man.

**-/DAMN/-**

She'd dropped her intruder device onto the dirt and with a few curses she thrust the last one towards his chest as he came to stand in front of her, vanishing the empty backpack with a lazy flick of her wrist. Her cloaked pooled around her petite ankles as she bent down to retrieve the fallen item and set it up in the soft lawn by her feet. He watched transfixed as she leaned forwards slightly, her bottom lip catching between her teeth as she concentrated, her pink hair falling gently around her face and trailing down over her soft neck towards a sight that almost made Remus groan out loud – her ample cleavage, which was easily seen through the dip in her shirt.

Those oh-so-very foolish feelings of teenage lust flooded back though him at the glorious sight before him and he tried to rearrange his cloak in front of him, the approaching moon making it harder to hide the fact that his body was quickly responding to her. But still he couldn't tear his eyes away.

"Ahem"

**-/Caught twice in one day Professor, how very pervy of you/-**

The sound of Tonks clearing her throat caught his attention, drawing him out of his lustful stare and making him look upwards to her face, a deer caught in the headlights expression evident on his own.

**-/So glad I chose this shirt... exact reaction I wanted/-**

He raised his hand up to cover his mouth, feigning a cough but really just trying to cover the fact that his jaw had fallen open, shocked that she'd deliberately picked a shirt that was missing a crucial button to gain his attention. She was trying to keep a straight face, almost bursting from trying not to laugh and if he hadn't of been able to hear her thoughts he would honestly think she was cross with him. But he _could _hear her naughty thoughts, and he could _see_ the impish glimmer shining through her eyes, her hair suddenly a more vibrant pink then earlier.

"Is there something on my shirt Remus?"

She looked the picture of innocence as she asked her question but he knew that she was bursting to hear his answer, bursting to hear him admit that he'd been unashamedly staring at her boobs. But there was no way he was going to give her the satisfaction of it, especially when the gold ministry emblem embroided on her breast pocket was offering him an easy out.

"I was just noting that your still wearing the same clothes you were in this morning, did you come here straight from work?"

He asked the question with as straight a face as he could muster, amazed that he could come up with something when only moments before his brain had been turned to primordial mush. She was obviously rattled but she wasn't letting on.

"Oh, um, yeah I did. Spent the day crawling across the country with Kinglsey, chasing down supposed sightings of notorious mass murderer Sirius Black. Amazing that the Ministry never thought to search the house he owns."

"I don't believe they know about it, unplottable for a reason, Sirius' ancestors were crazy about keeping things from the Ministry."

**-/DUH... great Auror you make Tonks/-**

Tonks looked at him strangely before she nodded her head slowly.

"Yeah, guess so. Anyway we got back late and I didn't have time to change so I just came straight here. I guess I didn't think you'd notice."

She added the last part with a hint of a smirk, as if challenging him as to why he had.

**-/and I think I know exactly why you did... it has a lot to do with a sight most men can't resist/-**

He smiled back at her, before putting on a coy look, acting almost disinterested.

"I probably wouldn't have, except for the Ministry emblem on the breast pocket of your cloak."

Shooting her a brief smirk, he turned and walked away from her down the side ally towards the front of the house, leaving her to undoubtedly stare down at the offending crest and wonder if that was what he was really staring at. He couldn't quite believe that he was flirting with her, or at least his attempt at flirting, tonight of all nights, but more surprising was the fact that he couldn't seem to wipe the stupid grin off his face

When he reached the front of the house he levitated the last intruder device to the side fence, attaching it with a quick sticking charm and activating it as she wandered up behind him. He turned to face her just as she let out a rather unlady-like yawn.

"You know you didn't have to come if you'd had such a hard day, I would've understood."

Understood was an understatement, he would have been thrilled because he wouldn't have had to do _this_. But she silenced him with a look.

"Shut up Remus, I wanted to come. If I didn't I wouldn't be here."

**-/Believe me, if it was anyone else I would've blown them off in an instant but I've been looking forward to this all day. The thought of being here with you tonight got me through. It wouldn't matter if I was half-dead, I was not going to miss this/-**

She smiled at him sweetly and all though he smiled on the outside, on the inside he felt like screaming. She'd said it herself, out loud – If she didn't want to come, she wouldn't be here. He suddenly had strong feeling of hate for Dumbledore, had he known that Tonks would say yes just to spend time with him, was that why he asked him specifically to do it. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't realised that they'd reached the sidewalk already and Tonks was talking.

"So where are we staying?"

He turned to look at her, staring blankly as she continued to talk.

"Staying?"

The clueless lookon his face completely gave him away and for a moment Tonks looked at him reproachfully.

**-/I love it when they listen/-**

"For the stakeout, we need somewhere to hide so we're not seen."

She said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world because come to think of it, it was. If he'd been paying absolutely any attention to the supposed mission instead of wallowing in self-pity he would've realised it sooner.

"Uh well I'd suggest the invisibility cloak but I lent it to Bill for the night, something about surprising a girl."

**-/DAMN... the French get everything.. and I'd already made plans for it too/-**

He quickly turned away from her and tried to block her thoughts as they took on a more racy nature, he really didn't need another reason to be hot under the collar, not that it was taking much tonight. Such a miserable night it was too, the wind had picked up and it looked almost certain to rain, so staying inside the run-down house they were meant to be watching would've been easier except for the fact that Tonks' soon realise that Harry was missing and that the mission was fake.

"Uh, what about between those bushes?"

The bushes in question were directly across the street from them, framing a perfectly manicured lawn. The space she was pointing to looked big enough to fit them both and the foliage from the adjacent bushes had grown over the top nicely to afford them a bit of shelter but as he followed her across the street he soon realised that it appeared a lot larger than it really was.

"Won't that be a bit, erm... well squashy?"

**-/Thus the point... merlin you're such a guy sometimes/-**

She shrugged her shoulders as she stared at him innocently enough.

"Yeah I suppose it would but," he smiled as she tried to find a logical reason to use the space anyway, "erm...it'll give us a great vantage point, we won't be seen and when it finally decides to bucket down at least we'll have something we can waterproof."

**-/Plus there's the added bonus of sharing body-heat/-**

He quirked his eyebrows at her, the thought of her wanting to be near enough to share body heat sending a pleasant warm feeling through him, a feeling not even the cold winds could take away. And although the idea of being that close to her was more than appealing, tonight was most definitely not the night for that. However before he could object she had bent down in front of him and crouched on the ground, her hips swaying ominously as she leaned forward on all fours and started crawling in between the overgrown bushes. The sight was so entrancing that for a moment Remus forgot that he was supposed to be following her, instead of just staring.

**-/Ahem/-**

"Care to join me Remus, or you just want to stare?"

His face flushed bright red as he stammered, his mouth opening and closing like a fish this time.

"I... no.. I wasn't.. I."

She let out a sweet laugh and he looked away, dropping to his knees before crawling into the bushes behind her

Her idea of a hide-out was cosy to say the least, they were practically on top of each other. It was cramped like he'd imagined, his back was hunched, knees drawn up close to his chest – and the space between them was non-existent. Shivers ran down his spine, tingles coursing through his body, each time she would shift beside him and it had nothing to do with the almost full moon hanging in the sky above their heads. She was sitting to his left, huddled against his side, legs touching, hips joined, shoulders bumping – and each time she moved her silky smooth skin would rub up against his own. And she certainly wasn't kidding about sharing body-head, he could feel her warmth radiating through the fabric of her cloak. His own skin felt like it was on fire from just being this close to her – he felt the way he felt when he was a third year at Hogwarts, sitting beside Matilda James, getting goosebumps whenever Sirius would push him so he would bump into her. It was all so very juvenile but with her scent filling the stuffy air around him, he sometimes had to stop himself from reaching out and brushing the stray lock of hair away that had fallen down to frame her face.

It was these moments that'd he'd pull back, remember why he was there and berate himself for falling too far in to the moment, for even beginning to imagine that this could be anymore than what it was. Especially tonight of all nights, he couldn't believe that he was having lustful thoughts about her as she sat next to him, so innocent so unknowing of what was actually unfolding around her. He did his best to distract himself from what was happening, to detach himself from the situation, but her hold over him was too strong.

"Remus, if Harry and his relatives are in that house, why is it still dark? Muggles have that whole eclectricity thing right."

Her eyes were trained on the dilapidated old house across from them. The white paint on the walls was peeling, several windows were boarded shut, the grass was overgrown and scrap wood littered the broken porch. The once beautiful house looked like a misplaced scrap heap in the middle of the otherwise perfect street, and with a dip in his stomach he noticed that most of all, it looked abandoned.

"Well it's not really dark in there, just a glimmer, Dumbledore magiced it to look dark. The house hasn't been lived in for years, would look strange if suddenly the lights came on."

She nodded her head and seemed to be buying his reason, if it wasn't for the fact that it was Tonks he was lying too, he would have been quite impressed with how fast he'd thought on his feet.

**-/Oh... wish I'd suggested we hide alone in that dark house now/-**

She'd turned away from him back to the house, keeping a professional constant watch, even whilst her thoughts strayed far from the professional line.

**-/mmm wonder what we could get up to in the dark, would he hold my hand if I got scared/-**

Her hand which was resting in her lap suddenly twitched, her knee brushing against his as she squirmed, that familiar jolt of energy coursing down his back.

**-/maybe he'd hold something else if I asked, maybe he'd me let me hold something too/-**

If he'd been listening properly her crude thoughts would have shocked him more, if he was watching her face he would have noticed the heated flush that tinged her cheeks but he didn't. Instead he was completely focused on her lithe body next to him, more importantly he was transfixed by a creamy expanse of skin, exposed as her shirt rode up. She was leaning back, resting on her hands, her cloak had fallen open and was sliding off her shoulders, pooling underneath her but all he could concentrate on was the smooth piece of tummy that he was privy too, a slice of skin that he longed to touch. He became so enamoured in the saucy images in front of him that he completely lost any coherent thoughts, not even noticing when she started talking.

"Your back must be sore."

Her voice broke the silence between them and even though he hadn't been following her train of thoughts closely, he wasn't sure how she'd arrived at that conclusion. He tore his eyes away from her stomach and stared at her with confusion, his brows furrowed.

"Not because I think you're old or anything, you're not, I mean I don't think you're old..."

**-/This isn't going well/-**

"I just... I just meant that last night you said your back was sore and sitting hunched over like this mustn't be helping. That's all I meant."

If he'd been listening properly again, he would've notice the tremble in her voice, he probably would've been laughing at her awkwardness, but in that moment the only thing in the world that existed where her lips. Her full crimson lips that curved delicately as she spoke, that pouted softly when she finished as though unsure of his reaction. But he wasn't going to react, he wasn't even 

listening to what she was saying – all he could think about was her warm soft lips pressed up against his own the night before. Their kiss had been brief but it'd been permanently burned into his brain, catalogued among his first ride on a broom, graduation and James and Lily's wedding as some of the best moments of his life. He could still remember the way she felt in his arms – so vulnerable, so needy yet completely unwavering – he could still feel her lips on his, he could still remember the feelings of abject pleasure and total terror that flooded through him in that all too brief moment.

"Turn around"

He briefly registered the sound of her voice in the air, words randomly filtering into his lust filled brain as he watched her lips move. And although he barely heard her words, he certainly felt her hands pushing against his shoulders, complying with her wishes unquestionably, shifting around slightly as her hands guided him. His eyes were drawn away from her rosy red lips as he shifted, but the feeling of her hands against his shoulders was warming his entire body, jolts of energy coursing through him at the slightest touch. It wasn't until he'd tuned 90° and felt her shifting around behind him, her knees coming to rest against his lower back, that he wondered why she'd wanted him to move?

"Uh Tonks, why did you ask me to shift around?"

His voice came out croaky and suspicious, groggy and threaded with pent up lust, and she was silent for a moment making him wonder if she'd already told him and he'd just missed it – made him nervous about what he'd silently agreed to.

"I'm going to give you that massage you asked for last night."

It took his foggy brain a minute to comprehend exactly what she was talking about, but the moment she was referring to charged forward to the front of his addled brain. They'd been on guard duty and he'd been listening into her thoughts only to unknowingly respond when he thought she'd spoken them aloud. He was about to object, after all he hadn't really asked for it in the first place, but suddenly her warm soft hands slipped underneath the collar of his worn shirt and lightly skimmed the bare skin at the base of his neck, rendering him incoherent.

He closed his eyes and tried to pretend this wasn't happening, not because it didn't feel amazing, but because he was fighting the urge to turn around and ravage her with every fibre of his being. Getting a massage from her would've been hard enough at the best of times, to have one this close to the full moon – with every sense in his body alive and wanting – was inhumane.

**-/Can't believe I'm doing this/-**

Her hands snaked around to the front of his chest, her mouth mere inches from him, her breath heating the skin at the nape of his neck as her petite fingers undid the first 3 buttons of his shirt. She pulled her hands back, lightly trailing them around his throat before skimming them out across his broad shoulders. He involuntarily let out a low guttural moan when her fingers dug in, dropping his head to his chest to give her more access, her warm fingertips kneading his bare skin, setting it aflame with her touch.

**-/I hate massages/-**

Her hands moved down his spine before drawing back up and she couldn't see it but his face had filled with confusion, thoughts of why on earth she was massaging him if she hated it racing through his mind. He opened his eyes and raised his head slightly, that was when he saw it, the dark hedges in front of him. If anything were to happen across the road he wouldn't be able to see it anyway, perhaps that's what Moody meant about distractions.

**-/Just stick to the plan... it'll all work out/-**

Plan? Suddenly a sickening chill set across his stomach and her soft hands that had been setting his body alight suddenly seemed to freeze against his skin. What if this was her plan, to keep him distracted so he wouldn't notice what was happening right in front of him?

**-/Just a little bit longer/-**

The nasty thoughts that crossed his mind were banished as quickly as they came, after all Tonks wasn't a spy. She was his best friends' cousin, she was his friend and she _deserved _better from him. The only reason he'd agreed to this tonight was so that he could clear her name once and for all, not to make her a part of something she wasn't. That horrible feeling of guilt settled in his stomach again and he hated himself for jumping to conclusions so fast, hated himself for even thinking that.

"Why so tense Remus?"

Her breath blew seductively against his ear as she leant forward and whispered in it, her chest pressed lightly against his back. Shivers raced through him again and he lifted his head, turning towards hers. Their eyes locked in a heated glance, her alluring lips pouting again, barely inches from his own. He craned his neck out, leaning forward, he was so close he could feel the heat from her breath burning his lips, almost touching when...

_**BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP**_

The wand in his pocket was swishing around violently as it emitted a high pitch wailing noise. Tonks hands left his skin immediately, her head pulled back as she covered her ears. But he didn't care about the loss of contact or missed chances because illuminated through the hedges he could see red sparks filling the air from behind the house – the intruder alarm had been set off.

**-/Are you kidding me, those stupid old things actually work/-**

He was on move within moments, in situations like this every second counted. With his wand drawn he scrambled out of the bushes and charged across the road towards the house, his heart beating out of his chest, mind whirling a million miles a minute. He really wished in moments like this that his brain would shut off and he could act of instinct but that didn't happen, instead terrifying thoughts filled his head – nobody knew about this place, why would someone be here?

"REMUS!"

Her screams filled the air, sending shivers up his spine but not in a good way. He'd already reached the garden gate when he heard her footsteps on the road behind him but he didn't stop, so afraid the world would catch up with him if he even slowed down just a little - that this would all become reality.

"REMUS WAIT UP, YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE ALONE!"

There was an edge of desperation in her voice and it made him pause for just a moment, not because of her but because thoughts of ambush were racing clearly through his head – should he call for help? Was it all a trap? Had she planned it all? He looked back at her, eyes wide with fear, face wrought with frustration. He'd turned just in time to see her trip over the lip of the gutter in her frantic rush to catch him. It all happened as if in slow motion – her knee connecting with the pavement then sliding along, the sickening thud that filled the air as bone hit cement, her body falling forward ungracefully, her hands hitting the pavement to save her head having the same fate.

His partner had fallen but it didn't change anything, he turned around and charged down the side of the house. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, his frozen breath fighting its way out of his lungs with every step. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have let this happen?

How could he have fallen for a spy?

* * *

OK, Ok... It was really horrible of me to leave it here (especially when I kept you all waiting so long) but c'mon this chapter is huge already... I had to leave it somewhere. SORRY

And I know don't deserve them, but I'd luv some reviews :D

HATE IT/LOVE IT... hate me (LOL) – chuck me a review.

HUGZ N KISSES

EllaQueenB


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